NCJ Number
199027
Journal
USA Bulletin Volume: 50 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 28-30
Date Published
January 2002
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms' (ATFs) comprehensive strategy for the enforcement of Federal firearm laws.
Abstract
ATF is a strong partner in the U.S. Justice Department's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which involves the development of cooperation among Federal, State, and local law enforcement to reduce gun-related crime and violence. ATF' strategic plan focuses on reducing violent crime through collaboration with other law enforcement agencies tasked with the same mission. ATF is the only domestic agency that has access to national crime gun trace data and other unique firearm-related data based on partnerships with the firearms industry. Through the tracing process for a crime gun, ATF agents obtain critical leads in significant criminal cases that involve the illegal diversion of firearms. ATF administers the Gang Resistance Education and Training program (GREAT), a community-based curriculum designed to instill basic life-skills in children aged 8-14 (grades 3-8). By training local police officers to teach the curriculum, GREAT addresses real-life issues, such as positive decision making, goal-setting, conflict resolution, responsibility, and anger management. The National Integrated Ballistic Information network (NIBIN) is a system for ballistic matching of firearms, cartridges, and projectiles. NIBIN continues to expand into additional communities to assist law enforcement agencies in linking and ultimately resolving unsolved firearm-related crimes. The ATF National Firearms Examiner Academy is the first of its kind to offer a formal national training program for tool-mark examiners. Further, ATF has partnered with the National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and other academic researchers to evaluate and analyze data, thus increasing the efficiency of ATF investigations. Also, ATF and the Department of Justice are sharing best practices in determining the nationwide picture of the PSN initiative.