2023 Project Safe Neighborhoods, Northern District of Iowa

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the national average Part I Violent Crime (Rape, Robbery, Murder, & Aggravated Assault) Rate per 100,000 population in 2020 was 398.5.  The national crime rate for Part I crimes remains well below those reported in the late 1990s (611.0/100,000) and below the rate reported just a decade ago (404.5/100,000). 

Relative to most other states, Iowa is a safe place to reside.  Having said that, Iowa experienced a significant increase in Part I Violent Crimes from 2018 through 2020.  The rate of increase for Part I Violent Crimes in Iowa is nearly four times the reported increase nationally (15% increase vs 4% increase) for the same time period. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods funding will assist the US Attorney in partnership with state and local stakeholders to identify specific violence hotspots and offenders who are contributing to the violence in the district.  

The U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Iowa selected the Governor’s office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) as the fiscal agent for the Project Safe Neighborhoods award.  As the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for Iowa, ODCP has a good deal of experience administering grant programs including competitive grants. 

ODCP will work with the US Attorney’s Office and the District’s PSN Task Force to develop a subrecipient selection process which addresses the broad objectives of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program along with the specific priorities identified in the PSN task force strategy.