 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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 Project Safe Neighborhoods Program has developed a comprehensive
targeted strategy to fulfill the goals of the national initiative.
Under the leadership of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of
Connecticut, the District's goal is to coordinate innovative and strategic
responses to reduce violent gun crime in targeted communities throughout
the District by:
- building on partnerships between and among federal, state, and local officials to aggressively enforce federal and state firearms laws;
- fostering prevention and educational programming within school systems and community-based organizations to emphasize the deadly consequences of gun violence, the need to refrain from illegal gun use, and the promotion of positive opportunities for youth and ex-offenders;
- informing offenders about the risks of engaging in illegal firearms usage upon their return to local communities from correctional facilities; and,
- conducting data collection and research to inform the PSN Task Force on the effectiveness of current strategies.
Front Row: William Carbone, Court Support Services Division; Raymond Rowley, ATF; Attorney General John Ashcroft; U.S. Attorney Kevin J. O'Connor; Dorinda Richetelli, Spectrum Associates; Sherry Haller, Justice Education center; back row: John Marrella, U.S. Attorney's Office; James I. Glasser, U.S. Attorney's Office; Lt. Patrick Deely, Waterbury Police Department; Patrick Griffin, Assistant State's Attorney; Lori Potter, U.S. Attorney's Office; Chief Mark Pawlina, Hartford Police Department and William J. Hoover, ATF
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.
PSN's strategy also includes community outreach and the involvement of
members of organizations in communities affected by crime. Connecticut's
community-based organizations reach out to those recently released from
prison and young adults who may be at risk for engaging in criminal activity
by offering a variety of resources, including job training, adult education,
substance abuse counseling, family counseling, and spiritual guidance.
One of the most important outreach initiatives is the offender meetings
held in Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, Stamford and Bridgeport. At these
meetings, the law enforcement partners, in coordination with the Connecticut
Board of Parole, the Connecticut Probation Office, and the Connecticut
Department of Corrections, speak to 35-50 violent felons currently on
post offense supervision. Each task force explains the team approach to
gun crime, discusses recent cases that have gone through the state and
federal system, and attempts to persuade the attendees to think twice
before possessing a firearm. The second part to these meetings consist
of speakers from our community resource partners. These speakers discuss
the availability of services to assist with continuing education or obtaining
a GED, fatherhood issues, such as custody, visitation and support, obtaining
identification such as a valid Connecticut driver's license or certified
birth certificates, to career resources, such as interview skills and
resume writing. During the second half of the meetings the attendees receive
opportunities to make positive choices.
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.
