AVERT Future Violence Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill directs the Department of Justice to study why people hurt animals and if those actions predict future violence against humans. Researchers will look for specific risk factors and see if certain types of animal abuse, like fighting or neglect, are linked to crimes like domestic violence or assault.
• The plan creates a new grant program to help local police, courts, and mental health groups. These organizations could use the money to train staff on how to spot animal abuse early and develop programs to help people stop violent behavior before it escalates.
• The bill provides $2 million for the research study and another $2 million for the grant program. The goal is to create better ways to help both children and adults who have been caught hurting animals so they do not commit more serious crimes in the future.

Impact Analysis

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