September 12, 2018
Carson City, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced that Nevada has received a $450,000 grant for the Improving Criminal Justice Response Program. The program is designed to encourage partnerships between State and local prosecutors, courts, victim service providers and local law enforcement to ensure that sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking are treated as serious violations of criminal law. The competitive grant was awarded to the Office of the Nevada Attorney General by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.
“This competitive grant award will allow my office to continue to facilitate partnerships between law enforcement and service providers to best serve our victims of crime,” said Laxalt. “I look forward to the impact this grant will make in the lives of those victimized in our rural communities.”
As a result of the secured grant, the Office of the Nevada Attorney General will be hiring a cross-deputized prosecutor to focus solely on cases of domestic and sexual violence, stalking and dating violence for victims ages 11 and older in Lyon and Churchill Counties. The project also provides funding for the local service provider and advocacy agencies in these two counties to support victims throughout the criminal justice process. A special multi-disciplinary unit will be formed to staff these cases and brainstorm the most effective way to both support victims and hold offenders accountable.
This grant is another demonstration of the AG Laxalt’s commitment to intensely address domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault throughout Nevada. The Office of the Nevada Attorney General continues to offer the most enhanced version of Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE), the nation’s leading victim notification network. VINE offers crime victims and members of the public timely and reliable offender custody information through a toll-free telephone number, website or mobile application. Users may also register to receive automated notifications relating to changes in custody status via telephone, email or text message. The enhanced VINE offers users innovative functionality and expanded access to victim services, allowing users seeking assistance to directly connect with both local and national service providers. To access the new Nevada VINE service, visi www.vinelink.com.
The federal Violence Against Women Act was originally passed in 1994, and has awarded over $6 billion in grants to government and non-profit organizations across the country between 1995 and 2016. These grant programs provide training and assistance to address and reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking; offer resources and services to survivors; and hold offenders accountable. These programs have also facilitated partnerships between prosecutors, judges, advocates, community organizations, and health care providers.
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