Birmingham Follows Montgomery Lead

There has been a Family Justice Center in Montgomery since 2010. It, and others like it. are based on the first such center, begun in 2001 in California. All of them are authorized by federal law. Now Birmingham is starting one:

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – Birmingham Mayor William Bell, Police Chief A.C. Roper and others say they hope consolidating legal and social services at a family justice center will help reduce domestic violence homicides in the city.

Bell, Roper and others met with stakeholders Tuesday afternoon at Birmingham City Hall to discuss strategic partnerships and ways to spread the word about the newly formed justice center. The meeting came less than a week after 34-year-old Coral Anita Wilson was fatally shot in a domestic dispute and four of her eight children were wounded.

One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center Director Allison Dearing says the facility, which offers free and confidential services, currently operates out of the Jefferson County Criminal Justice Center’s basement and is expected to move into a renovated building this fall.

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5/17/2016 5:14:03 PM (GMT -5:00)