The need
While Johnson County is known for being a safe place to live and work, there is still a need for more services to protect our most vulnerable populations. Consider that:
- 2,715 domestic violence incidents were reported to Johnson County law enforcement in 2017. This averages to 1 incident every 3 hours.
- An unnecessarily complicated, scattered system of victim services has created barriers to those seeking safety.
- This makes it hard for victims to cooperate, their cases are more likely dismissed, and they can get trapped in a cycle of abuse.
Family Justice Center Success Stories
Alameda County, CA intimate partner homicide dropped by 82%. |
San Diego intimate partner homicides dropped by 90% over 15 years after their Family |
Tulsa saw a decrease in recidivism from 45% to 6%. |
New York City saw decrease in family related crimes by 21%. |
After one year, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation noted a 10.8% reduction in DV reports across the state. |
New York City saw intimate partner homicides drop by 51%. |
About Family Justice Centers
A Family Justice Center model is about sharing existing resources:
- It does not replace or duplicate existing programs
- It does take existing resources and put them together under one roof to increase access
- It provides more access to services and more coordinated services
- Building paid for by either a non-profit or government (this is where The Foundation comes in)
- Services are provided by community partners
Investment and Return
Necessary Investment
The Foundation needs to raise $70,000 to hire the Family Justice Center Alliance to complete a community study, strategic planning tour, and provide technical assistance to successfully setup the Johnson County Family Justice Center.
Once that is complete, the average cost from to build and run a Family Justice Center is approximately $25 million.
Potential Financial Return
An average murder case and conviction costs $8,982,907.
Based on a study, published in US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health: “The Cost of Crime to Society: New Crime-Specific Estimates for Policy and Program Evaluation” 2008.
Assuming Johnson County's cost is half the national average, preventing the intimate partner homicides from 2011 - 2018 alone would have paid for two Family Justice Centers.
Intrinsic Benefits
Naturally, the most significant benefit is providing improved services to victims of abuse. A Family Justice Center can improve safety, reduce stress, and help victims break the cycle of abuse.
The Foundation needs to raise $70,000 to hire the Family Justice Center Alliance to complete a community study, strategic planning tour, and provide technical assistance to successfully setup the Johnson County Family Justice Center.
Once that is complete, the average cost from to build and run a Family Justice Center is approximately $25 million.
Potential Financial Return
An average murder case and conviction costs $8,982,907.
Based on a study, published in US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health: “The Cost of Crime to Society: New Crime-Specific Estimates for Policy and Program Evaluation” 2008.
Assuming Johnson County's cost is half the national average, preventing the intimate partner homicides from 2011 - 2018 alone would have paid for two Family Justice Centers.
Intrinsic Benefits
Naturally, the most significant benefit is providing improved services to victims of abuse. A Family Justice Center can improve safety, reduce stress, and help victims break the cycle of abuse.
Donate
Help us meet our launch goal of $70,000 to start building the necessary foundations for the Family Justice Center.