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 Office on Violence Against Women awarded the City of Chattanooga $750,000 under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590) on April 1, 2026. The award funds a three-year criminal justice response initiative running through March 31, 2029, with place of performance in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The project establishes a high-risk intervention team providing case management, safety planning, court advocacy, sexual assault forensic exams, and shelter services to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims. The city will develop standardized case review protocols based on the Lethality Assessment Program and the Danger Assessment tool, conduct monthly case review meetings, train law enforcement on lethality assessment or comparable risk screening tools, provide legal services for victims, and facilitate biannual regional judicial roundtables to identify gaps in victim access to the justice system.

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) services through the high-risk intervention team including case management safety planning, court advocacy, sexual assault forensic exams, and shelter; 2) development of standardized case review protocols based on the lethality assessment program and the danger assessment; 3) monthly case review meetings; 4) training on the lethality assessment program or comparable risk screening tool for law enforcement; 5) legal services for victims; and 6) facilitation of biannual regional judicial roundtables to review cases, identify gaps, and improve victim access to the justice system.