ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD RECORDS IN FIGHTING GUN CRIME

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General John Ashcroft today applauded the record of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and communities who are working together through Project Safe Neighborhoods to prevent and prosecute gun crime.

“Newly released data shows record-levels of federal prosecutions of gun crime,” said Attorney General Ashcroft. “Gun criminals are paying unprecedented penalties, and law-abiding Americans are enjoying unprecedented safety. Under President Bush’s leadership, Project Safe Neighborhoods is making a tremendous difference in ensuring that gun crime means hard time.”

A Record of Increased Prosecutions. In the past three years, federal gun crime prosecutions have increased by 68 percent. Between FY 2002 and FY 2003, federal firearms prosecutions increased nearly 24 percent.

Since FY 2000, there has been a 62 percent increase in defendants charged with firearm-related crimes. Project Safe Neighborhoods first set a record in FY 2002 for increasing the number of defendants charged with gun-related crimes in one year by 20.2 percent. During FY 2003, Project Safe Neighborhoods set a new Justice Department record with nearly 23 percent more defendants charged with gun crimes in one year.

Federal offenders are being sentenced to significant jail time. In FY 2003, 93 percent of defendants were sentenced to some prison time, and about 72 percent of offenders were sentenced to prison terms greater than three years.

A Drop in Violent Crime Victimization. The increased investigation and prosecution of gun crimes makes our communities more safe by ensuring that those who abuse firearms are not free to prey on our citizens. Between 1999-2000 and 2001-2002, the violent crime victimization rate plunged 21 percent. Approximately 130,000 fewer Americans were victims of gun crime in 2001-2002 than in 1999-2000.

National Scope, Local Impact. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an unprecedented partnership between all levels of government to implement a national strategy to attack gun crime with focus and intensity. While national in scope, each community’s PSN task force is working to design and implement a local approach to combat the unique gun crime problem that the area faces. Project Safe Neighborhoods relies on a seamless network of law enforcement professionals, working in concert with local communities, who are utilizing a strategy of cooperation and coordination to prevent illegal gun use, as well as punishing violators and putting criminals who use guns behind bars. Prosecutors pursue the strongest possible punishment for those who violate firearms statutes. Community partners, through services and resources provided by PSN, work to prevent gun violence before it occurs through such efforts as aggressively educating their constituents and at-risk youth about the consequences of gun crime.

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