NCJ Number
81414
Date Published
1979
Length
164 pages
Annotation
This report documents the implementation of projects funded by LEAA to provide comprehensive services to domestic violence and child sexual assault victims. It also analyzes the short-term effects of project startups and makes recommendations, based on interviews with Federal program and project staff, studies of five projects, and analysis of criminal justice documents.
Abstract
Findings indicate that national program goals will be extremely difficult to attain given the short demonstration period, contradictions between goals, the influence of factors beyond project control, resource constraints on critical service agencies, and project funding levels. In particular, minimal funding of projects has constrained their development of service delivery mechanisms and linkages, provision of indirect services, ability to attract and keep qualified staff, administrative effectiveness, and project credibility. Resource constraints have also led to project prioritizing of goals and services, frequently on an unsystematic basis and at the expense of indirect services and goals. Grassroots projects need a higher Federal funding share. Current criminal justice recordkeeping formats and procedures should be changed since they do not adequately distinguish and record information on domestic violence cases and have proven resistant to change. Recommendations are given regarding project organization, staffing, services, training, community outreach, and linkage with service agencies. Appendixes include descriptions of services offered by the 14 family violence projects participating in the LEAA evaluation, as well as relevant State laws and recordkeeping policies. Footnotes and data tables are provided.