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Through VAWA funding, the
Department of
Attorney General created a specialized Domestic Violence and Sexual
Assault Unit. The Unit’s primary focus is to create consistency within
the Department and the thirty-nine communities in Rhode Island on how
domestic violence and sexual assault cases are prosecuted, while working
to ensure victim safety. One of the major accomplishments of the Unit
was the development of a prosecution manual and prosecutorial protocols.
This effort was made possible with the help of a multi-disciplinary task
force. The Sexual
Assault and Trauma Resource Center (formerly the RI Rape Crisis
Center), the Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and its six shelter
agencies comprise the Network and work together to develop and implement
advocacy programs that provide education to hospital emergency
department staff. The Network is designed to work collaboratively with
law enforcement, prosecution and the health care community to provide
coordinated support for victims.
The Supreme Court Domestic Violence Training and Monitoring Unit was
established as a data collection repository. The Domestic
Violence/Sexual Assault Form is the primary source for the Unit’s data
collection efforts and the information has allowed the Unit to develop a
statistical database on domestic violence and sexual assault cases in
Rhode Island.
In FY96, Rhode Island was awarded a discretionary Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies (GTEAP)
award. A supplemental award was given in FY98 which runs through 2000.
In FY98, Rhode Island was awarded a discretionary Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization award.
This grant also runs through 2000.
In FY99, the State of Rhode Island was awarded a discretionary
Comprehensive Approaches to Sex Offender Management Planning Grant. |
