The United States Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia have announced a partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Division and DeKalb County, Georgia. The collaboration aims to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders.
“In 1994, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 to combat crimes against women associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our close partnerships with law enforcement agencies, local stakeholders, organizations, and others are critical to combat the scourge of domestic violence to safeguard families and make our communities safer.”
The Department of Justice used data to identify DeKalb County and other communities across the United States that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources. Previously, the office had implemented a domestic violence firearm case referral program with the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. In 2018, this partnership was launched to identify individuals for federal prosecution who possess a firearm following a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
This referral protocol resulted from an innovative framework developed by the District Attorney’s Office for identifying such cases within their office. It involved input from felony and misdemeanor prosecutors, probation officers, and victim advocates. In September 2019, this partnership was highlighted in a workshop at the Georgia Commission on Family Violence’s Annual Conference. Through this strategic enforcement initiative, authorities expect to continue identifying and prosecuting serious perpetrators of domestic violence—including those who use and possess firearms—which greatly increases the risk of serious injury or death to victims.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.