St Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project

BLUEPRINT ACCESSIBILITY ZERO-BIAS ENHANCEMENT PROJECT (BLAZE)

THE SPIP LEGAL PROJECT

THE IMPROVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING GRANT PROGRAM IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. §§ 10461-10465 AND IMPLEMENTED THROUGH REGULATIONS AT 28 C.F.R. PART 90, SUBPART D. THE PROGRAM FOSTERS VICTIM SAFETY AND OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY IN CASES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING BY ENCOURAGING STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND COURTS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND SHARE IDEAS THAT WILL RESULT IN EFFECTIVELY RESPONDING TO THESE CRIMES. AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE DEVELOPMENT, REVITALIZATION, OR ENHANCEMENT OF A COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, VICTIM SERVICES PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING. THE GRANTEE, IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS PROJECT PARTNERS, WILL USE THIS CONTINUATION AWARD TO CONTINUE IMPROVING THE JURISDICTION’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL: 1) IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON VICTIM SAFETY AND OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY; 2) PARTICIPATE IN MANDATED OVW TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; AND 3) WORK TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES.

THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS (LAV) GRANT PROGRAM, AUTHORIZED BY AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. 20121, IS INTENDED TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY AID ADULT AND YOUTH (AGES 11 TO 24) VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, STALKING, OR SEXUAL ASSAULT, BY PROVIDING FUNDS FOR COMPREHENSIVE DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS IN LEGAL MATTERS RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THAT ABUSE OR VIOLENCE. LEGAL ASSISTANCE IS ASSISTANCE IN: A) DIVORCE, PARENTAL RIGHTS, CHILD SUPPORT, TRIBAL, TERRITORIAL, IMMIGRATION, EMPLOYMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY, HOUSING, CAMPUS, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, PRIVACY, CONTRACT, CONSUMER, CIVIL RIGHTS, PROTECTION OR OTHER INJUNCTIVE PROCEEDINGS, RELATED ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATTERS; B) CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVESTIGATIONS, PROSECUTIONS, AND POST-CONVICTION MATTERS (INCLUDING SENTENCING, PAROLE, AND PROBATION) THAT IMPACT THE VICTIMS SAFETY, PRIVACY, OR OTHER INTERESTS AS A VICTIM; C) ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, OR OTHER PROCESSES INTENDED TO PROMOTE VICTIM SAFETY, PRIVACY, AND AUTONOMY, AND OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY, REGARDLESS OF COURT INVOLVEMENT; OR D) POST-CONVICTION RELIEF PROCEEDINGS IN STATE, LOCAL, TRIBAL, OR TERRITORIAL COURT, WITH RESPECT TO A CONVICTION OF A VICTIM RELATING TO OR ARISING FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, OR SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMIZATION OF THE VICTIM. THROUGH THIS CONTINUATION LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS PROJECT, THE SAINT PAUL & RAMSEY COUNTY DOMESTIC ABUSE INTERVENTION PROJECT (SPIP) WILL PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND SERVICES (E.G., PROTECTION ORDERS, DIVORCE, CHILD CUSTODY, VISITATION, SUPPORT, PUBLIC BENEFITS, NAME CHANGE, IMMIGRATION, HOUSING, TENANT RIGHTS, EMPLOYMENT, ETC.) TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT WITH NEW AND/OR COMPLEX FAMILY/CIVIL COURT CASES AND MODIFYING EXISTING APPLICABLE COURT ORDERS/CASES. SPIP WILL PROVIDE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE LEGAL SERVICES AND COLLABORATE WITH HAMLINE MITCHELL SCHOOL OF LAW TO SUPPORT LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS. THE GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA IS RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY OF ST. PAUL. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS PRIORITY AREA 2: INCREASING LEGAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS WILL BE DEVELOPED DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES; EVALUATION TOOLS; JOB DESCRIPTIONS; EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS; AGREEMENTS; AND PROMISING PRACTICES TO BE REPLICATED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.