Youth Firearms Violence Initiative
The Youth Firearms Violence Initiative (YFVI) was designed to help law
enforcement agencies develop programs and strategies to combat firearm violence
by youths.
In 1995, the COPS Office provided funding to ten police departments across
the nation to support targeted, focused enforcement efforts to combat the rise
of youth firearm violence. YFVI encouraged selected jurisdictions to employ
community policing approaches to develop or enhance programs designed to:
- Decrease the number of violent crimes committed by youths.
- Reduce firearms-related gang offenses.
- Reduce firearms-related drug offenses in their cities and neighborhoods.
The tactics developed in this program were based on the fundamentals of
community policing-problem solving, partnerships, and prevention. Strategies
included developing and enhancing partnerships with schools, communities, and
probation/parole agencies; using such civil remedies as code enforcement and
civil abatement; and using directed patrol and overtime to enforce
zero-tolerance laws. Funding was also provided to the ten departments to
evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies.
YTVI was announced in September 1995. All grants were for a one-year period,
with no-cost extensions granted on a case-by-case basis. A total of $10 million
was made available under YFVI, with each site eligible to receive up to $1
million. No local match was required, but each agency was encouraged to
contribute an in-kind match.
