What is a Family Justice Center?

It is the co-location of a multi-disciplinary team of professionals who work together, under one roof, to provide coordinated services to victims of family violence.  While a Family Justice Center may house many partners, the basic partners include police officers, prosecutors, and community-based advocates. The core concept is to provide one place where victims can go to talk to an advocate, plan for their safety, interview with a police officer, meet with a prosecutor, receive medical assistance, receive information on shelter, and get help with transportation.

The Family Justice Center approach is based on the San Diego Family Justice Center model (www.familyjusticecenter.org ) which opened in 2002.  The Family Justice Center model has been identified as a best practice in the field of domestic violence intervention and prevention services by the United States Department of Justice. The documented and published outcomes in the Family Justice Center model have included: reduced homicides; increased victim safety; increased autonomy and empowerment for victims; reduced fear and anxiety for victims and their children; increased efficiency and coordination among service providers; and reduced recantation and minimization by victims when wrapped in services and support. (See Casey Gwinn, Gael Strack, Hope for Hurting Families: Creating Family Justice Centers Across America (Volcano Press 2006)).

Why is a Family Justice Center Needed?

Each year law enforcement agencies around the world respond to alarming incidents of domestic violence. The prevalence of family violence is even more alarming when one considers that experts estimate that only 25 percent of such cases are actually reported.  There are many reasons why victims often fail to report domestic violence, including love, fear, religious beliefs, threats to children, lack of money or resources, or simply not knowing that help is available. 

Most criminal and civil justice systems make it difficult for victims to seek help and unintentionally wear them down.  Victims are often required to travel from location to location to seek services that are scattered through a community or region.  They have to tell their story over and over again to officials representing agencies, such as, law enforcement, courts, legal aid, medical, transportation, housing, social services, mental health, rehabilitation, financial assistance, and many more.  The criminal justice system unintentionally makes it easy for victims to become frustrated and ultimately stop seeking help.

How will victims and children benefit from this initiative?

The proposed project will provide a combination of services and interventions from one location to help victims and offenders break the cycle of violence and develop healthy relationships. A collaborative effort will provide more support to victims and children involved in family violence through improved case management and a more fluid exchange of information and resources.  Bridging existing gaps will increase victims’ accessibility to services and resources and make the entire process of reporting a domestic violence incident much less overwhelming for the victims and children involved. 

What are the services and activities that can be provided at a Center?

A Family Justice Center model can be expected to offer comprehensive medical and legal services, counseling to victims and children, links to Juvenile, Family and Criminal court, as well as access to on-site professionals such as child protective service workers, probation, parole and immigration officers, and advocates. It can also provide comprehensive prevention efforts such as outreach to young adults and underserved victims through community education.

Most importantly, each Center is different and is based on the needs of victims in each community.  The on-site partners and services at each Center often vary as well based on the unique characteristics of the organizations in a particular jurisdiction.  During a strategic planning process, each Center must identify which services are most needed and helpful for victims by being provided in a co-located service delivery model.  The services may be very limited such as the presence of police, prosecutors, and advocates.  The services may also be very diverse and include full health services, job training, comprehensive and long-term counseling services, and a host of other assistance coupled with the basic services from police officers, prosecutors, and advocates.

 What is the cost for starting and operating a Family Justice Center? 

Any community considering development of a Center must address the financial issues that come with pursuing such a vision.  When compared to the financial impacts of domestic violence on the business community, the health care system, the legal system, or the impacts on children, the cost of running a Family Justice Center is minimal and the model is cost effective.

The budget for a Center has three major categories: start-up costs, operations (and expansion), or long-term needs. For a more detailed budget, see Gwinn, Strack Hope for Hurting Families, Creating Family Justice Centers Across America, (Chapter 6, “Don’t Buy the Lie that You Can’t Afford It”).

 What is the sustainability plan for a Family Justice Center?

There must be a commitment to a Center from government, non-government organizations, and community leaders in order to ensure success.  While there is no guarantee of future funding, the project leaders and partners must take aggressive steps to assure the continuation of the project, such as seeking grant funding at the local, state, and federal levels and donations from the community, businesses and corporations.  A comprehensive strategic fundraising plan must be developed with the help of community leaders and fundraising experts for a capital campaign that includes funds from government and non-government sources.

What is the National Family Justice Center Alliance?

The National Alliance serves as the official technical assistance provider for the United States Department of Justice for federally funded centers.  The National Alliance also works with centers outside the federal initiative in the U.S. and abroad.  There are currently 45 operational centers in the United States with an additional three international centers operating in Croydon, England; Monterrey, Mexico; and Waterloo, Canada. There are over 40 Centers currently developing in the United States, Europe, Jordan, Bahrain, Africa, and Central America.  The National Alliance also hosts an annual international conference, provides shared learning opportunities such as staff exchange programs, international internships, web-based education programs, and training in the area of family violence.  

How can I find out more about the Family Justice Center Model?

Please visit the National Alliance website at www.familyjusticecenter.org to receive emails about upcoming events & trainings. Consider ordering the two key books: Hope for Hurting Families: Creating Family Justice Centers Across America and Hope for Hurting Families II: How to Start A Family Justice Center in Your Community. Please join the Alliance staff for a free monthly webinar conference on how to start a Family Justice Center or attend the annual International Family Justice Center conference in April 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. This year, the Alliance is offering special tracks on how to start a Family Justice Center. This conference is an excellent place to bring in a team of key partners who want to help start a Family Justice Center in their community. Or, schedule a virtual, on-line tour of the FJC model by contacting This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .