Gang Homicide Initiative

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 Cook will use its Fiscal Year 2007 Byrne Discretionary Category 1: Targeting Violent Crime Initiative funds to target increasing gang-related homicides and gang migration into the suburbs, while addressing the decreasing rate at which gang-related homicides are solved. Community fear and witness intimidation make the investigation and prosecution of gang-related homicides challenging. Through the funding of veteran Assistant State's Attorneys and investigators, Cook County will increase the manpower necessary to solve these difficult cases that frequently require uncommon and unreliable sources for information. Cook County will partner with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, and various local law enforcement agencies to achieve these goals.

CA/NCF