Chapter 4

Combating Family Violence

Overview

Not long ago, what happened within the home was considered to be a private, family matter excluded from scrutiny by the public. During the last two decades, there has been an increased awareness of the seriousness of child abuse and neglect, spouse/intimate partner violence, and elder abuse, not only as critical societal problems, but as crimes. In addition, there is increasing recognition of the often long-lasting and serious effects on children who witness violence, whether or not they are the actual victims. As a result, there has been an increase in the use of criminal and civil processes to address family violence. National incidence reports and research studies reveal the dramatic increase in reports of family violence and the increasing societal interest in responding to the problem.

The nature and extent of violence within the family is tragic and alarming. The following statistics and research findings suggest a continued burden and challenge to our society:

• The most recent National Incidence Study (NIS-3) by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect found there were 2.8 million cases of child maltreatment in the United States in 1996. This estimate indicates a rate of 41.9 children per 1,000 or 1 in 24--a significant increase over the 1.4 million cases known by the agencies surveyed in 1986.
  
  
• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Children's Bureau, in 1996 there were an estimated 1,077 fatalities resulting from child maltreatment in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
  
  
• BJS data show that in 1996 women experienced an estimated 840,000 rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault victimizations at the hand of an intimate partner, down from 1.1 million in 1993. The percentage of female murder victims killed by intimates has remained at about 30 percent since 1976.
  
  
• According to a study conducted by the National Center on Elder Abuse, from 1986 to 1996 there was a steady increase (over 150 percent) in reports of domestic elder abuse nationwide. Most elder abuse victims are female, and many cases (almost 37 percent in 1996) involved adult children as abusers.

Based on our increasing understanding of the experiences of family violence victims, we know that meaningful strategies for enhancing their safety require a coordinated response. Neither the criminal justice system nor the social service sector alone can prevent family violence; the entire community must be engaged. For this reason, OJP encourages comprehensive efforts to create and adopt locally responsive team approaches involving all segments of the community, including child protective services, victim service providers, criminal and juvenile justice authorities, health care providers, and organizations representing educators, researchers, businesses, members of the clergy, and others who interact with families experiencing violence. There must be collaboration within and among all of these community partners. Police officers, prosecutors, and judges must work closely--not only with each other--but also with child protective services, victim service providers, and health care providers to stop family violence.

The unique characteristics of family violence crimes demand that communities establish programs and policies that go beyond usual practice. The entire community needs to be engaged in efforts to enhance family safety. Further, experience suggests that policies, programs, and protocols will be more effective and responsive to local needs if they are driven by actual data. Therefore, it is critical that jurisdictions place a high priority on collecting data and evaluating their programs to ensure that their efforts are meeting the needs of the entire community.

The challenge that continues to face communities today is how to change cultural norms and traditions that permit family violence to go undetected. The entire community must convey the message that family violence will not be tolerated. State and local leaders need to capitalize on the unique strengths and resources within their own communities to respond effectively. OJP recognizes that no single segment of the community can bear full responsibility for reducing and preventing family violence. The complexity of establishing and sustaining collaborative approaches is daunting. OJP is committed to assisting state and local jurisdictions in their continued efforts to develop and implement coordinated responses to family violence, and in their efforts to coordinate with not-for-profit service providers.

Continuation Programs

The following programs will be conducted by current or already designated grantees. No new applications will be solicited in FY 1999.

Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies
Grantees: To be selected from applications submitted in FY 1998
FY99 Funding: $34 million
OJP Sponsor: Violence Against Women Office (VAWO)

Eligibility: States, Indian tribal governments, and units of local government

Project Description: Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies provide resources and support to help state, local, and tribal governments treat domestic violence as a serious crime requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system, including police, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, and other court personnel to ensure the victim's safety. With the resources provided through this program, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices, and the courts collaborate with each other and with nonprofit, non-governmental victim service agencies to develop and implement programs strengthening mandatory and pro-arrest policies. Program goals include: implementing mandatory arrest or pro-arrest programs and policies, including policies for violations of protection orders; improving tracking of cases involving domestic violence; centralizing and coordinating responsibility for domestic violence cases in special units of police officers, prosecutors, probation and parole officers, or judges; improving systems to ensure communication among police, prosecutors, and the courts; strengthening legal advocacy services for domestic violence victims; and educating judges and others to improve judicial handling of cases.

Because OJP received more excellent applications than it was able to fund in FY 1998, new applications will not be solicited for this program in FY 1999. Instead, OJP will select from jurisdictions that submitted applications in FY 1998 but were not funded. Grantees funded in FY 1996 or 1997 received continuation funding in February 1999.

Domestic Violence Victims' Civil Legal Assistance Grants
Grantee: To be selected from applications submitted in FY 1998
FY99 Funding: $23 million
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations, either public or private, that provide legal services to victims of domestic violence or that work with victims of domestic violence who have civil legal needs. This includes law school legal clinics, legal aid or legal services programs, shelters for battered women, and bar associations. Applicants other than domestic violence victim advocacy organizations are strongly encouraged to enter into a collaborative working relationship with a nonprofit, nongovernmental domestic violence victim advocacy organization from the community to be served.

Project Description: This program is designed to strengthen civil legal assistance for victims of domestic abuse through innovative, collaborative projects that reach more battered women than are currently being served and on a broader range of issues than are typically addressed. Funds may be used to support or provide direct legal services on behalf of domestic violence victims in civil matters directly related to domestic violence, including: cases to obtain, modify, or enforce civil protection orders; divorce or legal separation; spousal and child support; child custody and/or visitation; administrative matters, such as access to benefits; housing and/or landlord-tenant matters; and matters related to employment, including unemployment compensation proceedings. The core components of projects supported through this grant program include training, mentoring, and collaborative relationships. Lawyers and legal advocates providing services to battered women through this program are encouraged to obtain training and work with mentors from respected domestic violence victim advocacy organizations within the community to be served. Nonlawyers must be fully supervised by attorneys in accordance with local bar rules.

Because OJP received far more excellent applications in FY 1998 than it was able to fund, applications are not being solicited for this program in FY 1999. Instead, OJP will select FY 1999 grant recipients from applications submitted in FY 1998 but not funded. FY 1999 awards will be made by April 30, 1999.

Safe Kids/Safe Streets
Grantees: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Heart of America United Way, Toledo Hospital Children's Medical Center, Community Network for Children, Youth, and Families of Chittenden County, National Children's Advocacy Center
FY99 Funding: $2.7 million
OJP Sponsors: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Executive Office for Weed and Seed (EOWS), and VAWO

Project Description: This demonstration program is designed to break the cycle of early childhood victimization and later juvenile or adult criminality, and to reduce child and adolescent abuse and neglect and resulting child fatalities. The five sites are funded to restructure and strengthen the criminal and juvenile justice systems to be more comprehensive and proactive in helping children and adolescents and their families. The program implements or strengthens coordinated management of abuse and neglect cases by improving polices and practices in the criminal and juvenile justice systems, and the child welfare, family services, and related systems.

Juvenile Justice Project (earmark)
Grantee: Parents Anonymous, Inc.
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Project Description: This program enhances the Parents Anonymous mission to prevent child abuse and neglect by developing an expanded capability within the Parents Anonymous network to address the needs of high-risk families, with an emphasis on families of color. Parents Anonymous will also provide training and technical assistance to Safe Kids/Safe Streets and SafeFutures sites on using a family-strengthening approach based on the principles of Parents Anonymous and will help implement services and establish groups at those sites.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) National Grants Program
Grantee: National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Project Description: This program works to increase the number of abused and neglected children who are represented by CASA volunteers; provides grants to CASA programs, community groups, and courts for the development and expansion of CASA programs; and provides resources and materials to enhance CASA program management and representation of children. Also see Chapter 11 for a description of the CASA Program Development for Native American Tribal Courts project.

New Programs

Funding for the following programs will be available as noted. For information about individual program solicitations or application kits, check OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov or call the National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 1-800/851-3420.

S•T•O•P Violence Against Indian Women Discretionary Grants
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $8.21 million
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Eligibility: Federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native governments

Program Description: The Violence Against Women Act requires that 4 percent of the amount appropriated each year for the S•T•O•P Violence Against Women formula grants must be allocated for grants to Indian tribal governments. The S•T•O•P Violence Against Indian Women Discretionary Grant Program is described in full in Chapter 11, Addressing Crime in Indian Country.

Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grants
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $25 million
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Eligibility: For the purposes of this program, the following 19 states are considered rural: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. Within these 19 states, eligible applicants are: the state, local governments, other public entities, and private entities. Within any states other than the 19 listed above, only a state agency may apply for funding on behalf of one or more of the rural jurisdictions defined as rural in that state.

Federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments also are eligible applicants. In addition, an individual tribal government, a consortium of tribal governments, and a tribal government on behalf of a nontribal government organization may apply for funding through this program.

Project Description: The Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grants address the unique characteristics of rural communities and the additional hurdles faced by victims living in these areas. This program is designed to improve and increase services available to women and children in rural areas by encouraging community involvement in developing a coordinated response to domestic violence and child abuse. Police, prosecutors, judges, nonprofit, nongovernmental victim service agencies, and community organizations in rural jurisdictions are required to collaborate in the development and implementation of programs to reduce and prevent violence against women and children in rural communities. Applications will be available from VAWO in April 1999, and will be due by May 1999. Awards will be made in July 1999.

Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campuses
Grantees: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $10 million
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Eligibility: Institutions of higher education

Project Description: For the first time in FY 1999, Congress appropriated $10 million for Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campuses. These grants will be awarded to higher education institutions to work individually or in consortia consisting of campus personnel, student organizations, campus administrators, security personnel, and regional crisis centers affiliated with the institution, to develop and strengthen effective strategies to combat violent crimes against women on campuses. VAWO anticipates distributing an application kit in early June 1999, which will provide more details and the deadline for submissions.

Judicial Oversight Demonstration Program
Grantee: Limited Competition
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

Project Description: The purpose of this program is to test the effectiveness of a coordinated community approach involving strong judicial control and involvement, victim services for safety and transition to a nonviolent environment, and state-of the-art batterer intervention in preventing domestic violence. Three to four current recipients of Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies will be selected to receive supplemental demonstration funding in FY 1999. In addition, NIJ will develop an evaluation solicitation to be issued in FY 1999, funded under NIJ's Violence Against Women Research Program.

Treatment for Batterers With Substance Abuse Problems (earmark)
Grantee: WestCare
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)

Project Description: At the request of Congress, BJA will review an application from WestCare to fund a treatment program for batterers with substance abuse problems.

Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity-Building Programs

The following describes both current and new initiatives.

Violence Against Women Resource Site on the World Wide Web
Grantee: University of Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse
FY99 Funding: $291,680
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: To disseminate information about violence against women as quickly and widely as possible, VAWO awarded funds to the University of Minnesota to develop and maintain a Violence Against Women Resource Website on the Internet. The site provides immediate access to technical assistance information about sexual assault and stalking. Excerpts from VAWO's Promising Practices Manual, which highlights innovative initiatives from around the country to address sexual assault and stalking, also are available on the Violence Against Women Resource Website. FY 1999 funding will continue these activities. See Chapter 13 for additional information about this project.

The VOICES Project: Violence Outreach and Intervention (earmark)
Grantee: Nova Southeastern University, Inc.
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: BJA

Project Description: Part of BJA's Trauma Reduction Initiative, the VOICES Project provides conflict resolution training for personnel who intervene in violent or chronic abuse situations. VOICES combines alternative dispute resolution methods and therapeutic treatment, taking a systemic approach to the individual by dealing with interpersonal violence in the context of the family, health care system, law enforcement, and the community at large.

Expanded Violence Intervention Program (earmark)
Grantee: Metropolitan Family Services, Chicago, Illinois
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: BJA

Project Description: Through the Expanded Violence Intervention Program, Metropolitan Family Services educates the community about the resources available to domestic violence victims, providing outreach and linking victims and services as needed. The project is designed to improve victims' satisfaction with the criminal justice system and to improve their access to the legal system and social services.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Preventing Stalking
Grantee: National Victim Center
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The National Victim Center will conduct focus groups for VAWO grantees on developing coordinated responses to domestic violence victims in stalking cases. In addition, the National Victim Center will conduct site visits with grantees and coordinate a planning meeting with national experts regarding stalking in domestic violence cases.

The STOP Violence Against Women Grants Technical Assistance Project
Grantee: Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The STOP Violence Against Women Grants Technical Assistance Project provides technical assistance on responding to violence against women to state administrators who manage VAWO's STOP Formula Grants Program and subgrantees funded by the states. The project focuses on enhancing coordinated community responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Technical assistance is provided through regional workshops, site consultations, conference calls, advocacy institutes, and the development and distribution of resource materials.

Rural Technical Assistance Service Collaborative
Grantee: Praxis International
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Victims of domestic violence in rural communities confront unique challenges, including isolation and limited services. Praxis International will develop materials and conduct workshops for VAWO's rural grantees to enhance the safety of victims and their children in rural communities. Technical assistance will be provided through training institutes, teleconferences, videoconferences, phone consultations, mentoring visits, and the development and distribution of a newsletter and other information.

Issue-Oriented Focus Groups for Grantees
Grantee: Vera Institute of Justice
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The Vera Institute of Justice will provide technical assistance to VAWO grantees by coordinating focus groups on emerging domestic violence issues. The Vera Institute also will facilitate implementation of the Violence Against Women Act's full faith and credit provision through the development of software for law enforcement officers responding to domestic violence crimes. In addition, the Vera Institute will assist grantees with the use of technology in domestic violence cases.

Law Enforcement-Related Technical Assistance to Reduce and Prevent Violence Against Women
Grantee: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Law enforcement officers are often the first responders in domestic violence cases, and their response affects victim safety and willingness to utilize the criminal justice system. Victims of domestic violence whose abusers are law enforcement officers and victims whose abusers stalk them across state or tribal lines confront particularly dangerous obstacles. The IACP will provide technical assistance through focus groups, model policies, and site visits to VAWO law enforcement grantees regarding effective intervention in such cases. The IACP will also continue to distribute an educational pamphlet and train officers regarding enforcement of protection orders across state and tribal lines.

Technical Assistance for Recipients of Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies
Provider: Battered Women's Justice Project
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The Battered Women's Justice Project will provide technical assistance to recipients of Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies to enhance criminal justice system responses to domestic violence. Delivery techniques will include workshops, advocacy institutes, onsite technical assistance, teleconferences, demonstration projects, and curricula development. A broad range of issues will be addressed, including law enforcement strategies, coordinated community responses to domestic violence, and community policing.

Enhancing the Response to Domestic Violence Through Public and Private Partnerships
Grantee: Eastern Kentucky University
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Domestic violence affects women in their communities and workplaces, as well as in their homes. Appropriate responses by the business community and by law enforcement can enhance victim safety. Eastern Kentucky University will work with VAWO grantees to develop community policing strategies and partnerships with the business community to improve services and safety for victims.

Professional Development Education for Law Enforcement
Grantee: National Training Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The National Training Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence will provide technical assistance to VAWO law enforcement grantees on effective responses to domestic violence. The project is designed to enhance collaboration between law enforcement departments and victim advocacy organizations in order to improve victim safety. Onsite technical assistance will be provided, and training materials will be developed.

Effective Prosecution of Violence Against Women Cases
Grantee: American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI)
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: This project is designed to improve prosecutors' responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases. APRI will conduct workshops on stalking in rural domestic violence cases, cultural issues in domestic violence cases, and sexual assault prosecution strategies for new and advanced prosecutors. Workshop participation is limited to VAWO grantees. APRI will also convene a focus group on collaboration among criminal justice professionals and advocates for battered women and children.

Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit
Grantee: Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA)
FY99 Funding: $1.2 million
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: At the request of Congress, VAWO will continue to provide funding to EOUSA to support enhancements to and/or expansion of the domestic violence prosecution unit in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

Crossing Borders: Regional Meetings to Facilitate Implementation of Full Faith and Credit
Grantee: National Center for State Courts
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The National Center for State Courts will conduct five regional meetings for VAWO grantees on enforcement of protection orders across state and tribal lines. Jurisdictional, technological, and operational issues related to implementing full faith and credit will be examined. The National Center for State Courts also will produce educational materials and a full faith and credit directory.

National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence
Grantee: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Fues; including both civil and criminal tracks. Community collaboration teams will also be trained on intervention in cases involving domestic violence and child protective services.

Assisting Battered Immigrant Women: Community-Based Strategies
Grantee: Family Violence Prevention Fund
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The Family Violence Prevention Fund will forge links among victim advocacy, immigrant services, prosecution, and rural community-based organizations to improve responses to battered immigrants and children in rural communities. Additionally, the project will assess cultural and social barriers faced by battered Asian immigrant women and battered Asian-American women in same-sex relationships. Culturally appropriate responses will be promoted through workshops, focus groups, and curricula development.

Older Battered Women and Battered Immigrant Women: Enhancing Safety and Access to Services for Underserved Populations
Grantee: American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Victim services providers and criminal justice professionals must understand the unique needs of older battered women and battered immigrant women in order to provide culturally appropriate services to all domestic violence victims. The ABA Commission on Domestic Violence will develop educational modules addressing ways in which service providers can improve responses to battered immigrants and older battered women. Workshops will be delivered to VAWO grantees.

Enhancing the Response to Domestic Violence in African-American Communities
Grantee: National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives will provide technical assistance to VAWO grantees in developing community-driven collaborations between police and African-American communities to strengthen responses to domestic violence. Focus groups and regional meetings will be conducted with grantees.

Working with Women with Disabilities
Grantee: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Domestic violence victims with disabilities often confront obstacles when seeking services from victim advocacy programs or the criminal justice system. Criminal justice professionals may not understand victims' needs or be able to communicate with them, and shelters or agencies may be inaccessible. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence will conduct pilot regional training sessions for VAWO grantees to assist victim service providers and criminal justice professionals to improve their responses to women with disabilities.

Justice for Deaf Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Grantee: Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Service (ADWAS)
FY99 Funding: $100,000
OJP Sponsor: Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

Project Description: OVC funded ADWAS in 1998 to provide training and technical assistance to deaf advocates in five communities, and assist them in replicating a culturally appropriate model of services for Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard-of-Hearing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The goal of the project is to ensure that these victims have access to needed services and receive fair treatment and support from the criminal justice system and their communities. During the first phase of the project, ADWAS staff trained key leaders and provided onsite technical assistance in each of the five cities. FY 1999 funding will support training and technical assistance in five additional cities.

Working with Religious Leaders to Address Domestic Violence
Grantee: Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence will provide technical assistance to grantees on enhancing collaboration between secular and religious leaders to combat violence against women. A leadership training workshop will be held for VAWO grantees. In addition, resource materials, including educational videos, will be updated and distributed.

Family Violence Intervention Model for Dental Professionals
Grantee: University of Minnesota at Minneapolis
FY99 Funding: $80,000
OJP Sponsor: OVC

Project Description: Dental professionals are uniquely positioned to identify victims of family violence. Research indicates that many injuries resulting from family violence are found in the head and neck area. Dentists and their staffs frequently have not been trained to intervene effectively and sensitively with family violence victims. OVC awarded funds to the School of Dentistry and the Program Against Sexual Violence at the University of Minnesota to develop a comprehensive education model for dentists and their ancillary staffs, including a videotape on family intervention. This training was pilot-tested in Minnesota in October 1998. During the project's second phase, the grantee will enhance the training curriculum; develop a videotape on the detailed clinical presentation of intentional injuries as a companion to the intervention videotape; conduct four regional training workshops for dental professionals; and collaborate with dental professional and educational organizations to disseminate the videotape and training nationwide.

State Coalition and Advocate Training
Grantee: National Network to End Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Victim advocates play a critical role in enhancing victim safety and in assisting victims to obtain effective relief from the criminal justice and civil legal systems. The National Network to End Domestic Violence will develop educational materials and training programs to strengthen the skills of state and local battered women's advocates. The project will also provide leadership training for advocates who are women of color and for advocates working with traditionally underserved communities.

Blueprints for Violence Prevention: Training and Technical Assistance
Grantee: University of Colorado Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
FY99 Funding: $1.4 million
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Project Description: This project will assist communities in replicating model programs that have proven to be effective in reducing youth violence, delinquency, and substance abuse. Between 1996 and 1998, the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) conducted a review of over 450 delinquency, drug, and violence prevention programs. Ten programs met strict scientific criteria and evaluation standards to quality as Blueprints for Violence Prevention. The following Blueprints programs are related to family violence:

• Prenatal and Infancy Home Visitation by Nurses sends nurses to the homes of pregnant women who are predisposed to infant health and developmental problems to improve parent and child outcomes. Nurse visitors work with families during the first two years after the birth of their first child.
  
  
• Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care is an effective alternative to residential treatment for adolescents exhibiting chronic delinquency and antisocial behavior. Youth receive treatment while placed in supervised foster families for six to nine months.
  
  
• Multisystemic Therapy is an effective treatment for decreasing the antisocial behavior of violent and chronic juvenile offenders. The program targets specific factors in each youth's and family's environment (family, peers, school, and neighborhood) that contribute to anti-social behavior to help parents deal effectively with their children's behavior problems.
  
  
• Functional Family Therapy is a short-term program designed to engage and motivate youth and families to change their communication, interaction, and problem-solving. It also helps families access external resources.

Children's Advocacy Center Program
Grantee: National Children's Alliance
FY99 Funding: $4.5 million
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Project Description: This program has two purposes: to administer funding to develop and strengthen children's advocacy centers (CACs) nationwide, and to provide training and technical assistance program to state and local programs. CACs are facility-based, multidisciplinary programs that coordinate the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse cases to improve offender accountability and enhance outcomes for the victims of child abuse and their families. The grantee works with the four regional CACs (see listing under New Programs) to accomplish program goals and support communities interested in establishing CACs by providing the funding and necessary technical consultation, resource material, and training.

Child Abuse Prosecution Training and Technical Assistance
Grantee: American Prosecutors Research Institute
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Project Description: This project supports programs of the National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse (NCPCA). The center works to improve the quality of child abuse prosecution by assisting elected or appointed prosecutors at the local, state, and federal levels. Major services for prosecutors include training, technical assistance, and publications.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Abused and Neglected Children: Training and Technical Assistance Program
Grantee: National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Project Description: Project goals are to: increase the number of children served by CASA or Guardian Ad Litem programs; promote and enhance the quality of volunteer representation for children by assuring consistency, quality, and cultural sensitivity in CASA program management; provide training for CASA program staff and volunteers through interdisciplinary training and discussion of child abuse issues; support community outreach and volunteer recruitment efforts; and provide resource development information to CASA programs. Focus areas for training and technical assistance include program development and management, volunteer recruitment and retention, board development, resource development, and grant writing.

Education and Resources for Law Enforcement on Sexual Assault
Grantee: National Center for Women and Policing
FY99 Funding: $50,000
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The National Center for Women and Policing will train VAWO law enforcement grantees to respond effectively to victims in sexual assault cases. The National Center for Women and Policing will also develop a training manual and a strategic plan for delivering workshops on the appropriate investigation of sexual assault cases.

Understanding Sexual Violence: Update and Presentations of a Model Judicial Education Curriculum and Adaptation and Pilots for Prosecutors
Grantee: National Organization for Women's National Judicial Education Program
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The National Judicial Education Program will update and present its judicial curriculum, Understanding Sexual Violence: The Judicial Response to Stranger and Nonstranger Rape and Sexual Assault, to judicial grantees in four states. After adapting the curriculum for prosecutors, two regional workshops for prosecutors will be conducted. Participation in the judicial and prosecution workshops will be limited to VAWO grantees.

Sexual Assault Coalition Resource-Sharing Project
Grantee: The Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
FY99 Funding: $460,000
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs--along with state sexual assault coalitions in Illinois, Connecticut, Minnesota, and New York--will provide technical assistance to enhance sexual assault coalitions' capacity to strengthen state and community responses to sexual assault. The project will encourage replication of promising practices to create coordinated community responses to sexual assault. Technical assistance will include telephone consultation, regional meetings, and a national meeting of all sexual assault coalitions, and distribution of resource materials.

Unheard Voices: Survivors of Sexual Assault
Grantee: Project Face to Face/Bay Area Center for Art and Technology (BACAT)
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Project Face to Face will expand community awareness and understanding of sexual assault through a traveling art exhibit. The project will create castings and oral histories of sexual assault survivors, and showcase the exhibit in accessible sites. The project will collaborate with sexual assault coalitions and grantees to create supplemental educational materials for the exhibit.

Full Faith and Credit Public Service Announcements
Grantee: Pace Battered Women's Justice Center
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: The Violence Against Women Act requires states, tribes, and territories to enforce valid protection orders across state and tribal lines. Yet victims of domestic violence are unaware of this protection. Pace University's Battered Women's Justice Center will develop three public service announcements to increase awareness of this full faith and credit provision. The public service announcements will target a broad national audience, as well as victims from traditionally underserved communities, such as rural communities.

Prevention of Violence Against Women in Underserved Communities
Grantee: The California Alliance Against Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: This project is designed to improve cultural and linguistic competency for community-based organizations serving victims of domestic violence from diverse communities. The California Alliance Against Domestic Violence will work directly with grantees to enhance service provision. Additionally, domestic violence intervention materials will be identified and translated into other languages with assistance from community-based programs.

Technical Assistance for Organizations Serving Lesbian and Bisexual Victims of Violence
Grantee: New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Domestic violence victims in same-sex relationships are often unable to obtain appropriate services from law enforcement, other parts of the criminal justice system, or victim advocacy organizations. The New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, in collaboration with the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects, will provide technical assistance to grantees to improve services for lesbians and bisexuals who have been victims of sexual assault, stalking, and domestic violence. Additionally, the project will collaborate with national and local domestic violence and sexual assault organizations to enhance responses to victims.

National Aging and Vulnerable Adults Clearinghouse
Grantee: Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: VAWO

Project Description: Older women often face particular obstacles to obtaining assistance when they are abused by spouses, partners, or caregivers. The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence will provide technical assistance to VAWO grantees on elder abuse issues to enhance responses by the criminal justice system and victim advocacy organizations to older abused women. In addition to onsite and telephone technical assistance, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence also will develop and distribute written materials.

Followup to Workshop on Building Data Systems for Monitoring and Responding to Violence Against Women
Grantee: To Be Determined
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: NIJ

Project Description: On October 29-30, 1998, NIJ, BJS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a workshop on issues regarding data systems for monitoring and responding to violence against women. NIJ commissioned six papers for the meeting. Plans are underway to publish these papers. Recommendations from the workshop may result in a joint project.

The Use of Technologies for Responding to Violence Against Women
Grantee: To Be Determined
FY99 Funding: To Be Determined
OJP Sponsor: NIJ

Project Description: NIJ's Office of Research and Evaluation and Office of Science and Technology will jointly conduct a strategic planning meeting on this topic.

Research and Statistical Programs

The following describes both current and new initiatives.

Solicitation for Research on Violence Against Women
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $1.25 million
OJP Sponsor: NIJ

Eligibility: Educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profit-making organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, special eligibility criteria are indicated in the separate solicitations.

Project Description: This program will solicit research to: develop knowledge on patterns of psychological intimidation used by batterers to control women, such as actual or threatened abuse of children and withholding economic support; expand our knowledge about groups known to be at high risk for intimate violence, for example, women who have left abusive relationships; and examine the courts' and social service systems' response to the complex needs of women who have been subjected to multiple forms of abusive control. The solicitation will also draw upon the National Academy of Sciences' reports entitled Understanding Violence Against Women and Violence in Families: Assessing Prevention and Treatment Programs, as well as identified policy needs. In addition, researcher-practitioner partnerships will be included in this solicitation.

Solicitation for Program Evaluation on Violence Against Women
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $1 million
OJP Sponsor: NIJ

Eligibility: Educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profit-making organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, special eligibility criteria are indicated in separate solicitations.

Project Description: This solicitation will seek proposals to examine what is working to improve the outcome of domestic/intimate partner violence and sexual assault cases and enhance safety for women and their children. Emphasis will be placed on justice system evaluation needs.

Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships: Evaluations of Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies for Domestic Violence
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $625, 000
OJP Sponsor: NIJ and VAWO

Eligibility: Educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profit-making organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, special eligibility criteria are indicated in separate solicitations.

Project Description: In 1998, NIJ supported four projects that are conducting process evaluations of specific programs or initiatives funded through the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies program.. These evaluations focused on specialized domestic violence courts; training, tracking/monitoring, community safety audits, and services for victims; a centralized domestic violence unit in a sheriff's department; and a domestic violence enhanced community response team. The FY 1999 program will build upon the FY 1998 program by supporting up to eight new partnerships to conduct process evaluations under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies program, which encourages states, Indian tribal governments, and units of local government to treat domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law.

Evaluation of Victim Programs and Services under Evaluations of the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $850,000
OJP Sponsor: NIJ and VAWO

Eligibility: Educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profit-making organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, special eligibility criteria are indicated in the separate solicitations.

Project Description: This project will assess the impact of federal funding on nonprofit victim services and advocacy programs funded through the STOP Violence Against Women Program. A scanning component will focus on documenting the number of victims and populations served, but the bulk of the funds will assess program impact.

Evaluation of the Domestic Violence Victims' Civil Legal Assistance Grants
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $230,000
OJP Sponsor: NIJ and VAWO

Eligibility: Educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profitmaking organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, special eligibility criteria are indicated in separate solicitations.

Project Description: This solicitation is aimed at research to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs funded under VAWO's Civil Legal Assistance Program, which is designed to strengthen direct civil legal assistance available to domestic violence victims. The program provides an opportunity for communities to examine the ways in which the legal needs of battered women are met. The purpose of the national evaluation is to provide feedback by:
1) documenting the range of activities and programs supported by the grants; 2) assessing the accomplishments of grantees; 3) examining grantee planning and implementation efforts; and 4) developing a strategy for documenting long-term effects.

Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Research Grants Solicitation
Grantee: To Be Selected from Applications Submitted Early in FY 1999
FY99 Funding: $250,000
OJP Sponsor: NIJ

Project Description: This solicitation seeks proposals that will use NIJ's ADAM research program to conduct primary data collection or secondary data analysis using the ADAM system and to foster research on the development of the ADAM program itself. Policy issues to be investigated include the links between drug use and domestic/intimate partner violence. Program evaluations may examine domestic/intimate partner violence and drug use either as a single program or as separate coordinated programs. Some $250,000 of the $750,000 available is set aside for research on violence against women using ADAM data. Additional information on the ADAM program can be found in Chapter 3.

Evaluation of Parents Anonymous
Grantee: Competitive
FY99 Funding: $300,000
OJP Sponsor: OJJDP

Eligibility: Public or private agencies or individuals capable of conducting a large, multi-site evaluation.

Project Description: Parents Anonymous (PA) is a private, national organization providing support to local voluntary groups of parents who wish to avoid or cease abusing their children. PA involves mutual support meetings facilitated by a volunteer parent leader and a volunteer professional. The proposed evaluation will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will measure the operationalization of the theoretical premises, principles, best practices, and model of the PA program. In Phase II of the study, the various factors that contribute to the program's effectiveness will be explored, and survey instruments will be developed to measure outcomes related to both parents and their children. Program outcomes and impacts will be measured using the design and data collection instruments developed during Phase I.

NIJ and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cofunded Research Program
Grantees: See Below
FY99 Funding: $500,000 (total for all 3 projects)
OJP Sponsor: NIJ

NIJ is in year two of a 3-year joint program with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). The program consists of the following three research projects:

• Welfare Reform and Violent Victimization of Women
  Grantee: University of North Texas
  
  Project Description: This longitudinal project will continue investigating the reciprocal effects of change in the welfare system and domestic physical, sexuag collected.
  
  
  
• Sexual and Intimate Violence Among High-Risk Mexican-American Females
  Grantee: University of Texas at San Antonio
  
  Project Description: The objective of this project is to develop a scientifically based understanding of sexual and intimate partner violence among high-risk Mexican-American adolescent females. The study hopes to shed light on the etiology of sexual and intimate partner violence by examining such violence in samples of high-risk, gang-affiliated females in comparison with a representative sample of females who are not gang-affiliated and who demonstrate healthy family and academic functioning.
  
  
  
• Prevention of Sexual Assault Among High-Risk Women
  Grantee: University of Georgia
  
  Project Description: This project will evaluate a program designed to reduce the risk of revictimization of women who are previous victims of sexual assault. The program to be tested includes psycho-education and training in identification of personal risk factors, problem-solving skills, and assertiveness in risky situations. Participants are women who report at least one sexual victimization in adolescence and/or adulthood. They are being assessed over a 24-month period for frequency and severity of victimization, self-efficacy, assertiveness, psychological adjustment, and physical and emotional abuse.

Evaluation of the Safe Kids/Safe Streets Project
Grantee: Westat, Inc.
FY99 Funding: $300,000
OJP Sponsors: OJJDP, EOWS, and VAWO

Project Description: This evaluation is designed to analyze and document the process of community mobilization, planning, and collaboration that takes place as part of the Safe Kids/Safe Streets project; to inform program staff of performance levels on an ongoing basis; and to determine the effectiveness of the implemented program in achieving the goals of the Safe Kids/Safe Streets initiative. The Safe Kids/Safe Streets project is described below.

For More Information

The primary source of OJP funding for efforts to combat violence against women is VAWO's STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants. STOP Formula Grants are awarded to states and territories to develop and strengthen the criminal justice system's response to violence against women--including domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking--and to support and enhance services for victims. VAWO sent an application kit to the designated agency in each state and territory in November 1998. Awards are expected to be made by the end of February 1999. For application kits and other information on VAWO programs, see its Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/.

Many of the programs described in other chapters of the Program Plan include components relevant to family violence. In particular, see Chapter 2, Empowering Communities to Address Crime, and Chapter 11 for a description of initiatives to address violence against Native American women. Chapter 7, Protecting and Supporting Victims of Crime, also describes family violence-related efforts, including the Deputy Attorney General's Children Exposed to Violence Initiative. Also see Chapter 13 for a description of training and technical assistance for violence against women efforts.

The Department of Health and Human Services is involved in a number of initiatives relating to family violence, child abuse and neglect, and violence against women as a women's health issue. HHS administers grants for women's shelters and related services, such as community outreach and prevention and children's counseling. Also, HHS provides grants to states for rape prevention and education programs conducted by rape crisis centers or similar nongovernmental, nonprofit entities. For more information on HHS programs, call the HHS Office of Public Affairs at 202/690-7850 or visit the HHS Website at www.dhhs.gov. HHS also operates the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a 24-hour, toll-free service that provides crisis assistance and local shelter referrals to callers from across the country. The voice number is 1-800/799-SAFE, and the TDD number for the hearing impaired is 1-800/787-3224.

VAWnet, the National Electronic Network on Violence Against Women, is a project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. VAWnet is an effort to enhance the work of state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions and allied national organizations through the use of electronic networking. More information on VAWnet is available from the NRCDV at 1-800/537-2238 or by TTY at 1-800/553-2508.

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