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In May of 2001, President George W. Bush announced Project Safe Neighborhoods
("PSN"), a comprehensive, strategic approach to reducing gun
violence and promoting safe communities in this country. PSN combats gun
violence by bringing together local, state, and federal law enforcement
officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to implement a multi-faceted
strategy to deter and punish gun violence. PSN has created unprecedented
coordination among law enforcement officials, with an emphasis on prevention,
tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions, and enhanced
accountability through performance measures.
Connecticut's PSN program, and indeed much of the national strategic
initiative, is modeled on the successful and nationally recognized strategic
initiative to reduce violence and gun crime developed in New Haven in
1998. Federal and state prosecutors and Special Agents of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives meet regularly with detectives
and officers of the Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury and Stamford
Police Departments to review all cases involving firearms to determine
the most appropriate forum for prosecution. This protocol also brings
special attention to every case that includes the use or possession of
a firearm. The benefits from PSN are already apparent in Connecticut communities. From 1999 to 2004, federal firearms prosecutions have increased 100%. Eighty-two percent of all federal firearms cases in Connecticut result in pretrial detention and the average sentence for a felon in possession of a firearm is eight years for a guilty verdict and 6 years for a guilty plea. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut has devised a statewide media and outreach campaign to deter gun use among the youth in Connecticut's largest cities in New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport, Stamford and Waterbury. These outreach efforts are focused in neighborhoods with the highest per capita crime rates in the State. The largest cities of Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, Stamford and New Haven will continue to implement site-specific strategies, in addition to the overall State strategies. PSN in Connecticut will also support scholarships and awards to support youths playing a leadership role in Connecticut's implementation of Project Sentry. Funds will continue to be provided to police departments in the largest cities to provide additional police resources to increase gun violence investigations with the intent to remove recidivist's with repeated gun related arrests and convictions from Connecticut's urban communities and reduce overall gun violence. Connecticut PSN will also provide resources for Connecticut's forensic laboratory to increase it's ability to perform firearm identification and comparison services. |
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Click on the Connecticut city above to learn more about PSN |
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