Minnesota FY21 Project Safe Neighborhood

District of Minnesota, Project Safe Neighborhoods

Program Abstract - 2021

The 2021 Minnesota Project Safe Neighborhood grant will operate from October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2024. The violent crime problem in Minnesota continues to include gang and gun violence. Gang membership and “street group” membership is becoming younger, more violent, and is largely concentrated in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Non-gang gun violence in Minneapolis and St. Paul has dramatically increased since June 2020.

The most recent UCR crime statistics for the Minnesota jurisdiction are from 2019:

There was 4.7 percent increase in part I crimes over 2018, murders, aggravated assaults, robberies all increased.
Violent crime in Minnesota accounted for 9.6 percent of all offenses reported in 2 019.

The 2021 PSN funding will continue to support the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategies in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as supporting an expansion initiative in Minneapolis to focus on juveniles. 

Objectives for the PSN funding are to reduce gang and group related gun violence and reduce juvenile violent offenses/charges in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The PSN team is investing in an evidence-based holistic Group Violence Intervention strategy that includes collaboration between law enforcement, community groups and social service agencies, call-in type sessions in which high-risk individuals are provided with messages offering resources to help them escape a life of violent crime and the potential legal and other consequences if they refuse, a research component to ensure we are targeting the appropriate individuals and an evaluation process.

 
The Minnesota Office of Justice Programs, will continue to serve as the Fiscal Agent, and along with representatives from the Violent Crime Coordinating Council, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the United States Attorney’s Office will serve as the Executive Task Force.