The Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors (STOP) program of the Violence Against Women Act was examined in terms of its progress and major accomplishments through January 1997, based on site visits to 12 States during August-November 1996 and analyses of data on the subgrants awarded with fiscal-year 1995 funds.
The STOP grants are intended to help States and localities develop and strengthen effective law enforcement strategies, prosecution strategies, and victim services to address violent crimes against women. The analysis focused on how States planned for and were implementing their STOP grants program and how they were spending STOP grant funds. The research focused on the number and size of subgrants, the recipient agencies, subgrant beneficiaries, and the activities being supported. Results revealed that the STOP planning and grantmaking process was beginning to change interactions among law enforcement; prosecution; and nonprofit, nongovernmental victim service agencies. In addition, the process of soliciting STOP subgrant applications and selecting subgrants for award varied greatly from State to State. Moreover, people interviewed on site visits identified many barriers to the effective use of the civil and criminal legal systems, as well as service gaps that STOP funds might be used to remedy. Furthermore, States were distributing the funding across victim services, law enforcement, and prosecution despite confusion over definitions. However, collaboration across victim services, law enforcement, and prosecution at the subgrant level appeared limited. Results also revealed that domestic assault projects had received the most funding; a moderate amount was provided for sexual assault, and very little was provided for stalking. Findings indicated the need to facilitate collaboration, encourage informed decisionmaking through evaluation, expand efforts to address service needs, support projects to enhance the application of existing laws, and identify and publicize promising practices. Tables, notes, and 3 references (Author abstract modified)