EVERY STATE WILL RECEIVE MORE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FUNDS
TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department today announced that all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five territories will receive a total of $135.9 million in grants for Fiscal Year 1998 under the Violence Against Women Act to improve law enforcement, prosecution and victim service responses to domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault.

"Since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, we have begun to make real headway in combating domestic violence through the concerted efforts of federal, state and local governments," said Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which oversees the grant program. "We are particularly pleased with the support Congress continues to provide for these programs."

The awards mark the fourth year of the STOP (Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women formula grant program, which was authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 as part of President Clinton's 1994 Crime Law. This year's appropriation is an increase of $15 million over the FY 1997 funding.

The STOP grants are awarded to designated state agencies, which must award 25 percent of the funds they receive to law enforcement, 25 percent to prosecution and 25 percent to victim services' programs. The remaining 25 percent of the funding may be allocated at the state's discretion for other STOP program purposes.

"This program promotes a coordinated, multi-disciplinary response to domestic violence within the criminal justice system," said Bonnie Campbell, Director of the Department's Violence Against Women Office. "States, local governments and non-profit groups are using the power of the criminal justice system to hold offenders accountable and keep victims safe."

The grants were awarded just five weeks after the applications were received from the states and less than 90 days after the Justice Department received its Fiscal Year 1998 appropriation. One state and two territories, which have yet to complete their applications, will receive grants in the near future.

Each state will receive a minimum of $500,000 and additional funds based on population. A list of FY 1998 STOP state grant awards is attached. To learn more about STOP and other violence against women efforts, visit the Violence Against Women Grants Office web site at https://ojp.gov/VAWGO or OJP's web site at https://ojp.gov, or call the National Criminal Justice Reference Service toll-free on 1/800-851-3420. Media should contact the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs on 202/307-0703.

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VAW98049

After hours, contact: OCPA Press Officer on 202/307-0703 or page on 888/582-6750

OJP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN FY 1998 STOP GRANTS

STATE	FY 1998 STOP AWARD
ALABAMA	$2,219,000
ALASKA	$ 744,000
ARIZONA	$2,282,000
ARKANSAS	$1,510,000
CALIFORNIA	$13,327,000
COLORADO	$2,038,000
CONNECTICUT	$1,817,000
DELAWARE	$792,000
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	$719,000
FLORIDA	$6,294,000
GEORGIA	$3,459,000
HAWAII	$976,000
IDAHO	$979,000
ILLINOIS	$5,267,000
INDIANA	$2,850,000
IOWA	$1,647,000
KANSAS	$1,535,000
KENTUCKY	$2,063,000
LOUISIANA	$2,251,000
MAINE	$1,000,000
MARYLAND	$2,541,000
MASSACHUSETTS	$2,951,000
MICHIGAN	*$4,361,000
MINNESOTA	$2,374,000
MISSISSIPPI	$1,593,000
MISSOURI	$2,656,000
MONTANA	$854,000
NEBRASKA	$1,165,000
NEVADA	$1,145,000
NEW HAMPSHIRE	$968,000
NEW JERSEY	$3,714,000
NEW MEXICO	$1,189,000
NEW YORK	$7,817,000
NORTH CAROLINA	$3,447,000
NORTH DAKOTA	$759,000
OHIO	$4,996,000
OKLAHOMA	$1,828,000
OREGON	$1,789,000
PENNSYLVANIA	$5,351,000
RHODE ISLAND	$898,000
SOUTH CAROLINA	$1,988,000
SOUTH DAKOTA	$795,000
TENNESSEE	$2,640,000
TEXAS	$8,197,000
UTAH	$1,305,000
VERMONT	$737,000
VIRGINIA	$3,186,000
WASHINGTON	$2,726,000
WEST VIRGINIA	$1,235,000
WISCONSIN	$2,576,000
WYOMING	$694,000
AMERICAN SAMOA	$359,120
GUAM	*$554,000
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS	*$176,880
PUERTO RICO	$2,022,000
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS	$541,000
TOTAL	$135,897,000