Project Exile Gun Crime Reduction (From New Criminal Justice: American Communities and the Changing World of Crime Control, P 51-58, 2010, John Klofas, Natalie Kroovand Hipple, and Edmund McGarrell, eds. - See NCJ-230360)

• NCJ Number: 230365
• Author(s): Natalie Kroovand Hipple
• Date Published: 2010
• Length: 8 pages
• Sale Source: Routledge
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter examines the features and challenges of the Project Exile strategy used in the Middle and Southern Federal judicial districts of Alabama in implementing Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which was developed as a national program to address varying gun crime patterns in local jurisdictions.

Abstract

These two districts were the focus of comprehensive case studies related to the national evaluation of PSN. Project Exile focused resources on the increased Federal prosecution of gun crimes as well as on conveying a deterrent message. The Alabama PSN strategy was entitled Isolate the Criminal Element (ICE), which featured the component of Federal prosecution coupled with a community-wide strategy of communicating the threat of sanctions. This was a core ingredient of the statewide ICE program and was modeled on Richmond's (Virginia) Project Exile. The media campaign was intended to maximize the impact of Federal sanctions by communicating the U.S. Attorney Offices' commitment to Federal prosecution of illegal gun possession and use. Despite having limited resources, both the Middle and Southern Districts made it their goals to prosecute as many firearms cases as possible. For both districts, this required excellent relationships with local law enforcement, as they would be the ones bringing the cases for Federal prosecution. Case-study data clearly showed that Federal prosecution of gun crime offenses increased in the Middle District. Similarly, the Southern District, despite having only 14 lawyers in the criminal division, showed an increase in the number of indictments. Both police and trauma center data suggest that the Southern District intervention had an impact on the level of gun crime in Mobile, and this held when contrasted with the trend in property crime. Interviews with officials in both the Middle and Southern Districts indicated a consistent emphasis on strong leadership as the key to the successful implementation of PSN. 4 tables and 5 notes