FY21 Project Safe Neighborhood-PA Middle

The Middle District of Pennsylvania PSN Task Force proposes to use the 2021-2022 MDPA PSN allocation to fund an expansion of the Violent Crime Reduction Program (VCRP). There is a sound infrastructure of VCRP already in place in the District involving partnership through regular Crime Meetings and case adoptions, an active Federal TFO program and initiatives such as York Group Violence Intervention (GVI) and MDPA Court Asssisted Reentry (CARE) Court. The VCRP Expansion will leverage the great work already being done to promote maximum impact for these dollars and will be targeted in York City, the most violent area in our District.

The VCRP Expansion will be concentrated on targeted law enforcement as a crime reduction vehicle. The targeting, as in York GVI, will be intelligence driven and focused on Violent Group Activity. The bulk of the funding will be dedicated to supporting a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) who currently works for the York County District Attorney’s Office. That SAUSA will attend the crime meetings, refer local cases for federal prosecution, and handle the prosecution in federal court.  Additional funding will be dedicated to the family engagement unit in York City that will help the families of criminal offenders and potential criminal offenders maintain a law-abiding lifestyle.  Finally, some of the funding will be dedicated to supporting the research partner in York City to investigate the causes of criminal activity in York City, identify criminals, and implement data driven strategies to reduce violent activity by identified individuals in targeted areas.