Congresswoman Brown Announces $2 Million in Federal Funds Awarded to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court for Violence Intervention Program

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) and the Department of Justice – Office of Justice Programs (OJP)announce that the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and Juvenile Courts have received a federal grant of $2,000,000 for the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) Alliance. Spearheaded by the Cuyahoga County Juvenile and Common Pleas Courts, this initiative is designed to prevent juvenile and young adult gun-related crimes from escalating.

This grant was awarded by the OJP’s Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI), with funding supported by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congresswoman Brown proudly voted for in 2022. For more information on the CVIPI, click here.

“I am proud to announce federal funding has been awarded to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to expand the innovative and impactful Violence Intervention Program Alliance,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown. “This grant is another win for Northeast Ohio made possible by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. As we combat gun violence, it is imperative that we take measures that deescalate, intervene in, and prevent crime. The funding will help expand the VIP Alliance to close gaps and provide resources for young people at risk so we can stop crimes before they happen. Congratulations to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on receiving this competitive award.”

Statement from Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan J. Sheehan, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division and Administrative Judge Thomas F. O’Malley, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Court:

“On behalf of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, we are proud to accept this grant from the Department of Justice.  It is especially rewarding, as this grant will allow us to expand our work on the Violence Intervention Program, a specialty court which was first piloted in the General Division in 2020, to Juvenile Court.  Criminal gun activity is a challenge that is very important to both courts, as we see the impact it has on our community every day. This grant will allow us to examine how trauma impacts a young person’s decision-making related to guns and gun violence, to provide intensive interventions to young offenders through a multidisciplinary approach while reducing risk factors that contribute to gun activity, and to address critical gaps within our system. We thank Representative Shontel Brown for her continued support of the individuals in our community and the work of the Courts.”

$2,000,0000 to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and Juvenile Court:The Cuyahoga County Juvenile and Common Pleas Courts are spearheading the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) Alliance in Cleveland, Ohio. This initiative is designed to prevent juvenile and young adult gun-related crimes from escalating into serious offenses. The program's features include the expansion of the Common Pleas Court's VIP Pilot into a specialty docket for 17-year-old and 18- to 26-year-old felony offenders through an Adult VIP Court. The VIP Alliance will proactively identify eligible youth and young adult participants, using research-based guidance that addresses multiple risk factors for gun violence. Its comprehensive main activities include dedicated VIP judges, VIP teams (including local prosecutors and public defender offices), VIP stakeholders, a VIP advisory board, VIP probation officers serving as primary case managers, trauma-informed counseling, peer mentoring and supportive case management. Both the Common Pleas Court and Juvenile Court will implement VIP principles with efficacy, promoting fairness and transparency while addressing the underlying psychological risk factors that lead to escalated criminal behavior.

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