Del Papa: County got fair share of program grants

Friday, July 9, 1999 | 11:41 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa denied Thursday that Clark County is getting shortchanged on money for programs to combat domestic violence.

A report released by her office Wednesday said that 73 percent of the state's domestic violence cases occurred in Clark County during the last three months of 1998.

And last week, in announcing $970,628 in grants to combat domestic violence, Del Papa said priority "was given to areas showing the greatest need."

But Clark County, with nearly 68 percent of the population, received less than 45 percent of the grant money -- $431,420.

Questioned Thursday as to whether Clark County was being shortchanged, Del Papa said, "There are challenges all over the state. Domestic violence knows no boundaries. It's very simplistic to say Clark County is getting the short end of the stick."

Of the $970,628, she said 20 percent goes for statewide projects that benefit all counties including Clark.

In addition, the Andre Agassi Foundation in Las Vegas received a separate $1 million federal grant to help victims of domestic violence and the homeless. So that must be added in, she said.

But the figures show the percentage of money going to Clark County from this federal Stop Violence Against Women grant, distributed by Del Papa, has been diminishing.

In 1996, Clark, which is the fastest growing county in the state, received 64 percent of the money. In 1997, it fell to 56 percent and in 1998, it was 54 percent. She said it was 52 percent for this fiscal year, but calculations by the Sun showed it at 47 percent.

The federal government, Del Papa said, imposes restrictions. The state must consider underserved populations such as minorities, disabled, rural areas, the homeless, the elderly and those with drug problems.

A second requirement, she said, is for the money to go to the areas of "greatest need" and that means places where there is a lack of funding. And the government encourages money going to Indian tribes.

Del Papa and Veronica Boyd-Frenkel, Nevada's Domestic Violence ombudsman, said they believe there is underreporting of cases in rural Nevada, partly because there are not as many victims' advocates.

In addition this year there were more requests for money from rural Nevada, Del Papa said.

"There are needs all over the state, and we want to reach the greatest number of people," said the attorney general, who added that doing the comparison is "trying to stir something up."

She said 25 percent of the money must go to law enforcement, 25 percent for prosecution and 25 percent for victim services. The awarding of the remaining 25 percent is discretionary.

Clark County received 38 percent of the law enforcement grants distributed; 58 percent of the total grants for prosecution and 37 percent for victim service and discretionary awards.

This is the second time in the last month that questions have been raised whether Clark County is receiving its fair share of law enforcement funds.

Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, complained the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety had allocated only $500,000 of $3.9 million in available federal funds to police agencies in Southern Nevada.

Perkins, a police captain in Henderson, said the money should go where the crime is.

Del Papa, chairman of the Nevada Domestic Violence Prevention Council, said the report released by her office Wednesday is the "most in-depth and comprehensive review of law enforcement data on this issue to date."

In the last three months of 1998, there were 3,753 domestic violence cases reported statewide and of that number 2,741 came from Clark County. The breakdown shows 2,146 calls were handled by Metro Police, 343 by Henderson police, 200 by North Las Vegas, 41 by Boulder City, 10 by Mesquite, and one by the Clark County School District.

In 51 percent of the cases, arrests were made in Clark County. There were 1,056 men charged and 358 females arrested.

The report said statewide 42.3 percent of the domestic violence occurs between 6 p.m. and midnight and the highest incidents are on Sunday with 19 percent and Saturday with 17 percent.

In 78.4 percent of the cases, injuries were reported as minor. In 88.6 percent, the assailant used hands or feet in the attack. A handgun was used in 11 percent of the cases.

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