The US Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women initiated the Domestic Violence (DV) Homicide Prevention Demonstration Initiative to implement DV homicide reduction and prevention models and evaluate how well they work in different communities as well as the key components of successful adaptations to the models. Contra Costa Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Initiative was selected as 1 of 12 sites awarded this grant. This initiative will help build the capacity of local jurisdictions to improve identification of and services for high-risk victims while better monitoring high-risk offenders to reduce domestic violence related homicides. The four year initiative includes a Phase 1 year long process for jurisdictions to partner with a local researcher and assess structures and processes for addressing DV and DV homicide. During a Phase II implementation sites will be selected based on their work plans developed in Phase I to receive up to $600,000 for three additional years.
Over the course of a year, a robust partnership will conduct an assessment of current systems, procedures and responses and develop a work plan for implementation. The assessment may include the following elements: what resources are in place to support victims, monitor offenders, whether fatality reviews occur, whether intentional injuries are tracked and/or how data is used to understand the extent of injury caused by DV and dating violence, and what needs to be added to any existing collaborations to successfully conduct a multi-system homicide reduction initiative. At the end of the assessment process ZTDV will request approval to submit a comprehensive, site-specific work plan for implementation which may include the following elements: identify, contextualize and account for DV homicide, a system for coordination, capacity building for DV service providers, comprehensive training, development of tools, resources and services, and identification of barriers, gaps and desired changes.
The Employment and Human Services Department will be unable to continue to provide this valuable service.