NCJ Number
195186
Journal
United States Attorneys' USA Bulletin Volume: 50 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 1-56
Editor(s)
Jim Donovan
Date Published
January 2002
Length
56 pages
Annotation
This bulletin presents articles and information pertinent to Project Safe Neighborhoods, which emphasizes the importance of partnering with the U.S. Attorneys, local law enforcement, and the community to more easily investigate and devote the necessary resources to reduce gun violence and other criminal elements operating in communities.
Abstract
One article provides an overview of Project Safe Neighborhoods, with attention to the following five elements essential to a vigorous and successful gun violence reduction plan: partnerships, strategic plan, training, outreach, and accountability. Resources under the Federal budgets for fiscal years 2001 and 2002 are also outlined. This is followed by an article that examines where "crime" guns originate. It advises that the key to understanding firearms trafficking is comprehensive crime gun tracing. This means tracing all firearms recovered by law enforcement that were used in a crime, suspected to have been used in a crime, or recovered in relation to a crime. Another article describes Project Exile, which was established in 1997 by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (Richmond). Project Exile was an aggressive approach to reducing the murder rate by changing the culture of violence in Richmond through a comprehensive strategy, which included both law enforcement and prosecution components aimed at deterrence, as well as community outreach and education programs that focused on prevention. Other articles draw lessons for the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative from targeted crime reduction efforts in 10 communities; discuss the facilitation of the work of outreach; profile the integrated violence reduction strategy of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; describe the use of community resources in gun-violence reduction initiatives; and outline a countywide approach to firearm-related crime in King County, Washington. Other topics covered in this bulletin include a program to reduce gun crime in Kentucky, the Weed and Seed gun law enforcement initiative, the implementation of a firearms trafficking strategy, firearms tracing, and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Resources for Project Safe Neighborhoods are listed.