Attorney General Garland Names 78 Communities, Including Bibb, DeKalb Counties, and Augusta, for Enhanced Domestic Violence and Firearm Safety Measures
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial list 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 collaborate with these designated jurisdictions to develop strategies aimed at reducing intimate partner firearm violence. The focus will be on prioritizing prosecutions of domestic violence offenders who are prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms.
Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, stated, “We work in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to prevent violence, particularly gun violence and domestic violence. A key part of this effort includes keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are legally prohibited from possessing them, including those with records of domestic abuse.”
The designation of these communities was made in close coordination with local stakeholders. Data was used to identify areas where increased focus on intimate partner violence resources could be beneficial and where local jurisdictions are committed to using federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g).
Augusta, Georgia, is among the designated communities in the Southern District of Georgia. The Justice Department expects additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue to work with local stakeholders. All USAOs, regardless of specific community designations, will continue to address intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize domestic violence prosecutions as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 13, 2024:
- Montgomery County, Alabama
- Jefferson County, Alabama
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Washington County, Arkansas
- Fresno, California
- San Diego, California
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Ward 7, District of Columbia
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Alachua County, Florida
- Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida
- Macon-Bibb County, Georgia
- DeKalb County, Georgia
- Augusta, Georgia
- City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
- Ada County, Idaho
- Danville, Illinois
- Rockford, Illinois
- Madison County, Illinois
- Gary, Indiana
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Linn County, Iowa
- Garden City, Kansas
- Fayette County, Kentucky
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Orleans Parish, Louisiana
- Rapides Parish, Louisiana
- Western Maine Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine
- Baltimore City, Maryland
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Saginaw, Michigan
- Lansing, Michigan
- Greenville, Mississippi
- Jackson, Mississippi
- Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
- Greene County, Missouri
- Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana
- Northeast Omaha, Nebraska
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Strafford County, New Hampshire
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico
- Borough of Brooklyn, New York
- Onondaga County, New York
- Borough and County of the Bronx, New York
- Monroe County, New York
- Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina
- Forsyth County, North Carolina
- Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina
- Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Toledo, Ohio
- Muskogee County, Oklahoma
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
- Portland, Oregon
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
- Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Greenville County, South Carolina
- Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota
- City of Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee
- Gregg County, Texas
- Amarillo, Texas
- Houston, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Salt Lake County, Utah
- South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia
- Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Chittenden County, Vermont
- Spokane County, Washington
- King County, Washington
- Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia
- Kanawha County, West Virginia
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Dane County, Wisconsin
- Fremont County, Wyoming
