U.S. Attorney’s Office To Work With Local Partners To Reduce Domestic Violence

U.S. Justice Department Designates Baltimore City Under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act, Prioritizing Firearms Prosecutions of Domestic Violence Offenders and U.S. Attorney Pledges to Use the Designation and Additional Resources To Address Intimate Partner Violence Throughout Maryland

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. 

The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. 

“The prevalence of intimate partner violence should trouble us all,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, “We are more motivated than ever to address this problem and will use additional resources to protect victims, not only in Baltimore, but throughout Maryland.” 

“We are committed to working with our state and local partners to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office primarily addresses domestic violence as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The office is guided by core principles, including fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.

The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders.  All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.  

Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 11, 2024: