The grants to improve the criminal justice response program (icjr program)assistsstate, 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 the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services $1.2 million on April 1, 2026, under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590).

The award funds curriculum development and virtual training delivery based on Virginia's model protocols for sexual assault investigations, prosecution, and domestic violence law enforcement response. Deliverables include trainings on trauma-informed sexual assault response, victim interviews, and expert testimony in sexual assault cases; convening of a statewide advisory group on trauma-informed sexual assault response; technical assistance to sexual assault response teams across Virginia; and training and technical assistance on the Lethality Assessment Program to prevent domestic violence-related homicides. The curricula and trainings target law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates.

Performance occurs in Richmond, Virginia, with a period of performance from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029. The assistance type is a Project Grant.

The grants to improve the criminal justice response program (icjr program)assistsstate, 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 will support the following activities: 1) curriculum development and virtual training delivery based on virginias model protocol on sexual assault investigations and prosecution and protocol on domestic violence for law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates; 2) trainings on trauma-informed sexual assault response and victim interviews and on expert testimony in sexual assault cases; 3) convening of a trauma-informed sexual assault response statewide advisory group; 4) provision of technical assistance to sexual assault response teams in virginia; and 5) training and technical assistance on the lethality assessment program to prevent domestic violence-related homicides.