Impact Evaluation of Victim Services Programs: STOP Grants Funded by the Violence Against Women Act: Summary

• NCJ Number: 183459
• Author(s): Barbara E. Smith; Robert C. Davis; Laura B. Nickles
• Date Published: January 2000
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): 96-WT-NX-0003
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

An impact evaluation of the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women grants program funded with Federal grants under the Violence Against Women Act(VAWA) of 1994 used data from two samples of representatives of law enforcement, prosecution, and court programs to provide victim services.

Abstract

The information came from 62 interviews with STOP subgrantee program representatives and 96 interviews with representatives of programs that worked in coordination with the 62 STOP programs. Interview topics included information about subgrantee activities; the program and contexts within which STOP funds are used; advantages and disadvantages of locating victim services within criminal justice agencies; and the impact of STOP funds on victims and the criminal justice system. Most programs were prosecution or law enforcement programs. The majority were fairly new; over one-third began with the receipt of STOP funds. The average award was $47,626. Programs provided a wide variety of services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence at many stages of case processing. The program changes and impacts reported were also impressive. Findings indicated that STOP funds substantially improved the lives of victims and the criminal justice system response to victims. Further research is recommended.