The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program was constituted with an aim to encourage integrated and multidisciplinary approach to improve response of the criminal justice system with respect to violent crimes against women.
Under this program, efficacious law enforcement and prosecution strategies are encouraged to develop and strengthen their policies and procedures to curb violent crimes against women.The focus is also to develop and encourage services to victims in cases where violent crimes are committed against women.
STOP Program was authorized by The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 and was again reauthorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 and is executed by the OVW of U.S. Department of Justice.
Priority of the STOP program has always been forming comprehensive strategies delineated to address violence against women and their needs of safety and arrest culprits responsible for their crimes.
State and territories need to form alliances with the criminal justice system and victim advocacy organizations to effectively carry out these strategies.There is also a need to encourage communities to look beyond conventional resources and forge partnerships with faith-based and community organizations to reciprocate strenuously to crimes of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault.
All states, territories and District of Columbia can apply STOP Formula Grant award, as they all are eligible with the only compulsion that states need to meet requirements of application and certify their compliance with amended Violence Against Women Act’s statutory eligibility requirements.
The grants and sub-grants through this program should be utilized to develop, train or expand units of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges and other court officers enabling them to identify and respond effectively and efficiently to violent crimes against women.
These funds can be used to develop and implement adequate and compelling police, prosecution and court protocols, policies, orders and services particularly to prevent, identify and respond to violent crimes against women.
The grants can be used for development, installation or expansion of data collection and communication systems, which easily helps to link police, prosecutors, and courts aiming to identify and track arrests, violations of orders, convictions of violent crimes against women.
These grants are targeted to develop, enlarge and strengthen programs for victim services, delivering better services to the victims of underserved populations and to provide advocates having specialization in domestic violence the cases of violence against women. Programs relating to issues of stalking, sexual assault can be developed, enlarged and strengthened with these grant funds.
There are many more services, which can be provided with the utilization of these funds. For more details, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in Washington can be contacted at 202-307-6026.
Friday, April 30, 2010
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