Local Anti-Gang and Violent Crime Project

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The County of Marlboro applied for funds under Category 1: Targeting Violent Crime, to support activities at the Marlboro County Sheriff's Office. The goal is to combat gang activity that has led to an increase in violent crime. The Marlboro County Sheriff's Office will create a gang investigator position and provide resources to enable the gang investigator to raise public awareness, educate the local law enforcement, and solve old and new gang and violence related cases. They will fund overtime hours and training for the new gang investigator and project director to identify, track, investigate, and prosecute gangs and gang-related violent crime activity in Marlboro County, South Carolina.

CA/NCF