NCJ Number
191844
Date Published
January 1996
Length
89 pages
Annotation
This document focuses on the victims programs presented at eight Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) State and Local Programs Working Meetings.
Abstract
The victims programs are primarily the result of program development and implementation activities supported by BJA’s Formula Grant Program to State and local governments and organizations. Some of the programs were developed as a result of BJA funding through its Discretionary Grant Program. A few programs were established and sustained with little or no Federal funding, but are of interest to State and local planners for potential replication. Denver’s (Colorado) Emergency Courtroom improves judicial intervention in restraining order cases and increases citizens’ use of the courts when violence and threats are imminent. Delaware became the first State to implement a statewide Victim Center, which addresses the needs of crime victims and survivors of sudden deaths and offers services 24 hours a day, including a toll-free hotline. The goal of the Multi-Agency Family Violence Program in Hawaii is to reduce the incidence and severity of domestic violence and, in particular, repeat offenses. The Batterer’s Education Program in Iowa aims to maximize the safety of victims of domestic violence and ensure accountability for the perpetrators of domestic violence. The Massachusetts Attorney General Elderly Protection Project protects older citizens from abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. The primary goal of the Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Center is to protect and rebuild the child sexual abuse victim. The Victim/Witness Assistance Program in Montana provides a full-time assistant to serve as a liaison between victims and witnesses and the criminal justice process. Other programs from New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas are included.