Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program: Hancock Projects

UTEC Abstract

Applicant Name: UTEC, Inc. 

Project Title: Hancock Projects BCJI Program

Project Location: Lawrence, Massachusetts

Amount Requested: $800,000

Evidence of US Attorney General/PSN Coordination:  Lawrence Police Department (LPD) currently coordinates with the Attorney General through PSN; we plan to continue to do so through BCJI.

Target Neighborhood: Our project focuses on the Hancock Projects neighborhood, which is within zip code 01841 and has 1,071 residents (2019). 

Opportunity Zone, Choice Neighborhood, or Promise Neighborhood: Lawrence includes four opportunity zones. Our project will have impacts across the city, including in these opportunity zones.

Existing Federal Funds: UTEC currently receives DOJ Second Chance funding, but not specific to Lawrence nor this neighborhood. 

Plans to Use and Analyze Data: LPD will collect and analyze crime data within this neighborhood, and provide trend analysis. UTEC will collect and analyze recidivism, education, and employment outcomes for youth engaged in this project. The BCJI team will review criminal activity data and determine actions to take. We will conduct an internal process evaluation, to assess implementation and initial outcomes, and progress on performance measures.

Key activities include:

UTEC and LPD will share information about gang shot-callers, gang activity, and other incidents of violence in Hancock Projects.

LPD will verify identified levers of violence with data that shows correlations between these levers and violence in the community.

UTEC will: identify and engage youth behind the walls who are returning to Hancock Projects who are high-impact influencers; build relationships with community members, especially gang members and those involved in criminal activity; engage rival gang leaders to facilitate peacemaking activities and agreements; conduct  intensive street outreach, gang peacemaking, and “in-reach” within correctional facilities; provide youth with employment through multiple social enterprises, educational programming, social justice activities, on-site childcare, and family engagement services; and engage youth to respond to community violence through peaceful demonstrations in their community.

Issues Addressed: By targeting violent and gang crime among youth in the Hancock Projects neighborhood, we seek to reduce crime, build trust with law enforcement, and thus make the neighborhood safer. 

Project Coordinator.  UTEC will hire a full-time Project Director within 1 month of this project’s start.

Other Sources of Support: We anticipate additional state investment in evidence-informed crime reduction and prevention efforts. Given UTEC’s partnership with state agencies beyond corrections and probation, we are confident that successful completion of this grant will allow us to leverage future state opportunities.