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Thursday, March 28, 2024

DOJ Announces Expansion of FTAP to Strengthen Community Response to Domestic Violence Incidents Involving Firearms

Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced the expansion of its Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP) to help communities across the country reduce domestic violence homicides and injuries committed with firearms. OVW will award an estimated $6 million for up to 12 sites and $4 million for training and technical assistance on firearms and domestic violence.

“Enforcing gun laws and keeping firearms from the hands of perpetrators of domestic violence is crucial to keeping victims safe,” said OVW Acting Director Allison Randall. “The FTAP expansion is another example of the department’s commitment in its efforts to reduce violent crime. The funding will help our grantees develop and implement community-based and culturally specific strategies to enforce firearms laws and is an important part of preventing homicides.”

In 2019, OVW and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges launched FTAP, which was designed to help communities implement policies, protocols and promising practices to prevent abusers from having access to firearms in domestic violence cases. As part of the announcement, OVW released a solicitation to fund six new FTAP sites in addition to the six existing FTAP sites, which include: Birmingham, Alabama; Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Columbus, Ohio; Brooklyn, New York; the state of Vermont; and Spokane, Washington. The deadline for applications in Grants.Gov is Sept. 20, 2021, and the JustGrants deadline is Sept. 22, 2021. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a non-binding Letter of Intent by Sept. 7, 2021.

The FTAP expansion will provide direct financial support for all sites, as well as new technical assistance designed to help each site incorporate community partners, particularly partner organizations that center underserved populations, into their efforts to implement effective responses to firearms and domestic violence. Training and technical assistance projects will include $2 million to help the sites implement an effective firearms response. Of particular importance will be an additional $2 million to train and support the sites on the cultural context of domestic violence in underserved communities. Additionally, OVW will award $750,000 to continue a domestic violence and firearms national resource center.

This solicitation supports the Justice Department’s comprehensive strategy for reducing violent crime. Under federal law, individuals with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from possessing firearms. The data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.

Read more at the Justice Department

DOJ Announces Expansion of FTAP to Strengthen Community Response to Domestic Violence Incidents Involving Firearms Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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