This article examines the methodology and outcomes of New Jersey's comprehensive gun violence reduction strategy, which spanned 15 years, starting in 2006; it lays out the steps involved in carrying out the strategic, intelligence-led initiative; explains why cross-jurisdictional data matters and was used in the strategy; and evaluates the impacts of New Jersey's efforts, noting that the strategy enhanced investigations and resulted in new leads.
In 2006, New Jersey initiated a comprehensive gun violence reduction strategy, becoming the first in the country to create a long-term statewide, multi-jurisdictional program that relied upon the integration of data and intelligence from multiple sources. Spanning 15 years, the project improved over time, transforming the investigative culture of all participating agencies. National Institute of Justice-funded researchers evaluated New Jersey’s gun violence reduction strategy, documenting the state’s process of collection, integration, and analysis of firearms, ballistics, crime gun tracing, and intelligence data and the impact of that effort on violent crimes. Overall, they found that New Jersey’s strategy enhanced investigations and resulted in new leads.