Feds finance neighborhood violent crime response

By The Star Staff

U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow announced Monday that the federal Justice Department has awarded $143,935 to support the Safe Neighborhoods Program of Puerto Rico, the latest in a series of federal public safety investments totaling $23 million.

“The U.S Attorney’s Office, along with our federal, state and local law enforcement and community partners, will continue to develop customized solutions to the unique violent crime problems we face in Puerto Rico,” Muldrow said in a written statement.

“Our partnerships are the most powerful tool to protect our communities from violent crimes,” he added.

The funds will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the island Housing Department, is one of several given to state and local agencies across the country.

Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based, community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is a key component of the federal Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy to Reduce Violent Crime.

PSN’s approach is guided by four principles: building trust and legitimacy in communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; establishing focused and strategic implementation priorities: and measuring the results.

The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.