Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program

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 St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Police Executive Research Forum will use their Fiscal Year 2007 Byrne Discretionary Category 1: Targeting Violent Crime award to develop the St. Louis Model for Reducing Gun Violence Project. The project goals are to reduce gun-related violence in one the city's most violent communities and to refine a comprehensive St. Louis-specific model. The project includes: 1) assessing gun violence and related factors; 2) convening a Gun Violence Summit of stakeholders to discuss findings; 3) developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy in one geographical target area; and, 4) evaluating the program's impact. This program will focus on increasing community involvement and the use of technology such as an urban portable gunshot detection device.

CA/NCF