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

SCRANTON- U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced today that Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, has been designated by the U.S. Department of Justice to receive additional resources to focus on combating domestic gun violence.

U.S. 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.

"Our office is committed to working closely with our federal and local partners to hold offenders accountable for crimes associated with domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking," said U.S. Attorney Karam.

"ATF Philadelphia Field Division will work closely with our law enforcement partners in the designated counties to combat firearm violence against intimate partners and children, ensure that perpetrators are held accountable, that the rule of law is upheld, and that survivors are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve," said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in charge of ATF's Philadelphia Field Office.

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.

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