DOJ Awards Millions to Communities to Fight Neighborhood Crimes
The Justice Department is awarding more than $11 million to address 15 areas with significant amounts of crime, DOJ recently announced. The awards were administered through the department’s new Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation program, part of the Obama Administration’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative.
“While overall crime rates have continued to decline nationwide, some neighborhoods have experienced troubling increases in specific types of criminal activity which is why the Department and our partners are providing additional resources to communities that need them the most,” Attorney General Holder said. “With today’s announcement, we reaffirm our commitment to relying on comprehensive, data-driven approaches for ensuring public safety – and investing in innovative strategies for protecting the American people from crime.”
The innovation project’s awards will help the recipient communities better target crime-related issues through training and technical assistance, DOJ said.
“Community safety plays a vital role in neighborhood revitalization,” said OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary. “These awards are targeting persistently distressed neighborhoods that require interconnected solutions in order to resolve their interconnected problems.”
In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week, a special time to honor America’s law enforcement officers, particularly those who have been killed in the line of duty. For more information about National Police Week 2013, and to view the full schedule of events, including our 25th annual Candlelight Vigil on May 13 (event will be streamed live over the Internet), visit