$17.5 Million To Support Project Safe Neighborhoods Awarded by Justice Department

The Department of Justice announced on October 13, 2022, that it has awarded about $17.5 million in funds to assist the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program. The funds will help jurisdictions around the country fight the pandemic of gun crime and serious violence.

The grant awards will be administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which is part of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). They will be granted to state and local agencies in collaboration with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.

“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”

Project Safe Neighborhoods, or PSN, was launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to significant gun violence. It is a crucial component of the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, detailed by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is governed by four essential principles: creating trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based groups that assist prevent violence in the first place; establishing targeted and strategic enforcement goals, and monitoring the effectiveness of our actions. The overarching goal is to minimize violent crime rather than simply increase the number of arrests and prosecutions.

US Attorneys’ Offices direct PSN initiatives in partnership with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The emphasis of the programs on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability have contributed to overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.

“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violent crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”

The awards mentioned above are part of the normal end-of-fiscal-year cycle. More information regarding PSN awards and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.

The Office of Justice Programs provides government leadership, funds, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and decrease crime, advance racial fairness in the administration of justice, aid victims, and strengthen the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be obtained at www.ojp.gov.