FFY22 District of Maryland Project Safe Neighborhoods Project

In 2020, Maryland ranked as the 22nd most violent state in the nation, with the eighth highest murder rate and the highest robbery rate. Homicides and non-fatal shootings drive violent crime in Maryland. The PSN partners will utilize funds to reduce violent crime by pursuing violent repeat offenders, disrupting and dismantling criminal gangs and networks, and vigorously prosecuting the felonious possession, use, and trafficking of firearms. The specific target jurisdictions will be determined based on the affected geographical areas, proposed activities, products and deliverables, the strategic enforcement area, and the neighborhoods that will benefit from the project.  

The jurisdictions are awarded funds through a competitive solicitation process. Each successful applicant will be required to form a local PSN task force, complete a thorough assessment of the violent crime drivers in their community and develop a strategic plan to address those issues. All funded programs will be required to track their progress by establishing and reporting on specific program measures- both quantitative and qualitative.

The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services (GOCPYVS) is considering the following evidence-based interventions: Hot Spot Policing, Group Violence Reduction Strategy, Gang Task Force, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, High Point Drug Market Intervention, and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.  With these model intervention programs, Maryland will provide funding to jurisdictions seeking to develop expanded multi-jurisdictional collaborations and information sharing to reduce violent crime throughout the State. Some of the key partners will be the United States Attorney’s Office, GOCPYVS, Maryland Parole and Probation, Federal Investigative Agencies (ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, along with local and State law enforcement and prosecutorial teams).

The goals and objectives of PSN will be a multi-faceted approach in making communities safer.  The approaches will consist of education on ending the violence initiatives, implementation of focused deterrence programs, along with establishing partnerships with State and Federal prosecutorial teams to seek enhanced penalties for violent repeat offenders.  In joining local, State and Federal resources this will create a force multiplier to strategically end violence in neighborhoods and communities. This strategy allows for instituting positive reinvestment as agencies follow up with violent offenders released from incarceration to allow for a peaceful transition back into the community and provide necessary assistance to end recidivism.  These initiatives will routinely be assessed to ensure best practices are being utilized throughout the length of the grant cycle.