NCSC award builds national capacity for survivor-centered domestic violence supervision

A new $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) will allow NCSC to strengthen how probation, parole, and pretrial supervision agencies respond to domestic violence nationwide. Through this initiative, over the next 24 months NCSC will help jurisdictions better protect survivors, children, and communities, and improve supervision practices.

"Domestic violence cases require specialized knowledge and a level of coordination that is not always available to community supervision agencies," said NCSC Senior Court Management Consultant Kendall Friend. "These responsibilities are especially challenging in rural, Tribal, and other under-resourced communities where specialized services and training may be limited. We are excited to begin this important work immediately."

The two-year award will allow NCSC and its partners to provide practical, research-based training and technical assistance to agencies at every stage of development. NCSC will work intensively with selected probation and parole offices to establish or improve specialized domestic violence supervision units, strengthen collaboration between courts and probation departments, and enhance pretrial supervision of individuals charged with domestic violence offenses. Participating jurisdictions will receive tailored curricula, onsite or virtual assistance, monthly coaching, and opportunities to learn from peers facing similar challenges.

NCSC will convene a diverse advisory group of community advocates representing urban, suburban, rural, territorial, and Tribal communities. Their experience will shape the project's training, tools, and technical assistance so that supervision practices reflect the realities survivors face, reduce opportunities for information gaps, and place safety at the center of decision-making.

The significance of this award extends beyond the delivery of individual trainings or publications. It gives NCSC the ability to translate local experience into guidance that can benefit the entire field. Through NCSC's relationships with state court leaders and national partner organizations, the project's resources can be shared broadly across states, territories, Tribal communities, and local justice systems.