Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Congratulates Dallas County on Receiving a U.S. Department of Justice Grant

Dallas, TX – (Thursday, September 5, 2013) –Today Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announced that the U.S. Department of Justice will award a federal grant of $300,000 to Dallas County for the Fiscal Year 2013 Court Training and Improvements Program.  The funds will be used to continue to employ a bilingual Pre-Trial Officer to monitor domestic violence offenders during the pre-trial stage of each case; employ a High-Risk Docket Probation Officer to monitor Dallas County Criminal Court No.10’s highest-risk offenders on probation; and provide Spanish translation and interpreter services for victims.

“The Court Training and Improvements Program is an important tool to enhance the accessibility to justice for all Americans,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “As an avid supporter of women’s rights, and someone who voted for the Violence Against Women Act, I am pleased to see these funds being used to help victims of domestic violence, and to ensure our court officials are properly trained to deal with issues of domestic violence.”         

This grant will also support the development of community-based victim assistance programs for the LGBTQ community, and provide training to court-based and court-related personnel on victims’ needs, perpetrator behavior, dating violence and stalking crimes.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a Ranking member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Kessler Park, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, South Dallas & South Oak Cliff; all of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Ferris, Glenn Heights, South Grand Prairie, Oak Lawn, Ovilla, Uptown/Victory Park and West Dallas.