NEWARK, NJ — The Department of Justice announced Dec. 9 that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation, located in Syracuse, N.Y., was awarded $331,859 to administer PSN grant funds in the district of New Jersey.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs, will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects nationwide that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies, as well as community organizations, to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
“Financial support like this from the Department of Justice fosters cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement, as we work together to protect the people of New Jersey,” acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. “These awards provide substantial resources to support important public safety initiatives.”
Grant funds will provide resources and training for law enforcement and prosecutors to combat violent crime and make their communities safer through a comprehensive approach to public safety that joins targeted enforcement with community engagement, prevention, research and reentry efforts. With approval from BJA, the fiscal agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust — these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon said. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s “Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime” is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results of these efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
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