FY21 Project Safe Neighborhood-PA Western

FY 2021 PSN funding will be used to support initiatives to reduce violent crime in Allegheny County.  Project Safe Neighborhoods is a combined effort of the United States Attorney’s Office, ATF, DEA, FBI, the U.S. Marshals and other federal agencies, along with the Pennsylvania State Police, the Allegheny County Police, the City of Pittsburgh Police, the City of Erie Police and other state and local partners.  The significant rise in violent crime nationwide has not missed Western Pennsylvania.  The increase in shootings – both with and without injury or fatality – is of primary concern in our District.  The two geographic areas with the highest incidence of gun violence are Allegheny County and Erie, PA, and these are our two target regions for PSN funding efforts. There are three broad strategy goals within each of Allegheny County and Erie: 1) targeted enforcement and prosecution of chronic violent offenders and identified violent actors; 2) promotion of and collaboration with community-based groups involved in interrupting violence and addressing the drivers of violent criminal activity; and 3) continued support and expansion of efforts to assist re-entrants as they return to their communities. PSN funds will be made available for group violence intervention efforts, as well as for initiatives from local neighborhood groups to reduce violent crime.  Finally, PSN is an evidence-based approach, and the results of the PSN effort will be measured by examining key statistics to determine if violent crime diminished through the effort.