The grants to improve the criminal justice response program (icjr program) assists state, local, and tribal governments, and courts to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence,…

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded $500,000 to Scott County, Missouri on October 1, 2025, under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590) to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The award funds five specific initiatives within the 33rd District Court in Benton, Missouri. Scott County will hire a Survivor Intake Coordinator and an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney to expand prosecutorial capacity. The county will create a case assignment system and establish a private room for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors within the court facility. The award also supports development of procedures for comprehensive case review and management in sexual assault cases and training for police officers on evidence collection and trauma-informed investigation and interviewing techniques.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. This is a Project Grant assistance type.

The grants to improve the criminal justice response program (icjr program) assists state, local, and tribal governments, and courts to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as serious violations of criminal law, and to seek safety and autonomy for victims. The project would: 1) fund a survivor intake coordinator and assistant prosecuting attorney; 2) create a case assignment system; 3) establish a private room for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in the 33RD district court; 4) develop procedures for comprehensive case review and management for sexual assault cases; and 5) train police officers on evidence collection and trauma-informed investigation and interviewing.