JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS PENNSYLVANIA
WASHINGTON, DC ? Today, the Department of Justice?s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced that Pennsylvania will receive funds totaling $758,112 to implement their Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy, which is part of a national program to target gun violence and violent crime in neighborhoods and communities across the country. As part of the Administration?s commitment of $901 million over three years, 94 Project Safe Neighborhoods task forces are working to implement the coordinated strategy to reduce gun violence. Administered by OJP?s Bureau of Justice Assistance and led by the U.S. Attorney in each of the federal judicial districts, each local program is tailored to fit the unique gun crime problem in that district in five essential areas:
?Project Safe Neighborhoods supports law enforcement efforts at every level to protect our citizens and hold criminals accountable, ? said Assistant Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels. ?With these resources, jurisdictions throughout Pennsylvania will work to target gun crimes with more aggressive prosecutions, and promote community outreach. Efforts such as these will help to protect communities and neighborhoods all across the country.? Pennsylvania?s PSN Task Force has created a multi-agency firearm review panel comprising representatives of Local, State, and Federal law enforcement. The review panel coordinates and aggressively prosecutes individuals who illegally possess or use firearms in the commission of a crime. The panel systematically screens firearm cases for possible federal prosecution, placing special emphasis on cases that involve violent offenders. For more information contact Richard Reeser with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency at 717-787-5152. Detailed information about the PSN federal partnership, training and outreach opportunities is available on the PSN Web site at www.psn.gov. The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership in developing the nation?s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP is headed by an Assistant Attorney General and comprises 5 component bureaus and 2 offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime, as well as the Executive Office for Weed and Seed, and the Office of Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education. Information about OJP programs, publications and conferences is available on the OJP Website, www.ojp.usdoj.gov. ### BJA03165 |