North Charleston awarded national grant money to battle domestic violence homicides

North Charleston is among a select group of cities from around the country that will participate in a new initiative to battle domestic violence homicides.

The city was chosen with 11 others to participate in the Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Initiative. The grant was awarded by the Department of Justice and announced yesterday by Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder.

“We know what risk factors put someone in greater danger of being killed by the person they love — and that also means we have the opportunity to step in and try to prevent these murders,” Biden said in a statement.

The initiative helps local jurisdictions reduce domestic violence homicides by identifying potential victims and monitoring high risk offenders. It’s modeled after programs in Massachusetts and Maryland, where groups have reduced the domestic violence homicide rate.

The city of North Charleston will be working with Medical University of South Carolina’s National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and My Sister’s House. The group could receive up to $200,000, according to Shannon Praete, the city’s grant administrator. Praete said they had not yet received the award letter with more specifics on the amounts. She received a call from Biden’s office yesterday morning, she said.

Read more in upcoming editions of The Post and Courier.

Reach Natalie Caula at 937-5594 or Twitter.com/ncaula.