National Citizens' Crime Prevention Council

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.

Although crime rates remain relatively low compared to past decades, crime remains a consistent challenge to nearly every community across America. According to the FBI's preliminary crime statistics, Crime in the U.S.: The Preliminary Stats for 2006, violent crime has increased nationwide by 1.3 percent. These statistics show a rise in violent crime for the second straight year. The U.S. Conference of Mayor's 10-Point Plan developed in January 2007 states, 'For a growing number of cities across the United States, violent crime is accelerating at an alarming pace.' And the Police Executive Research Forum reported in Violent Crime in America: 24 Months of Alarming Trends (March 2007) 'Violent crime increased last year, and many cities experienced double-digit or even triple-digit increases in homicides and other violence.' As violent crime was increasing in cities, property crime fluctuated but continued to be a problem.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the National Citizens' Crime Prevention (McGruff®) Campaign in which NCPC, along with the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, will utilize the Fiscal Year 2007 Edward Byrne Discretionary Grant funds to educate Americans on how to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. The NCPC will produce award-winning public service advertising, publish dynamic crime prevention publications, conduct groundbreaking training events and technical assistance, and partnering with like-minded organizations, NCPC will build effective crime prevention strategies and tools. NCPC will research and promote the cost effectiveness of crime prevention; publish documents in print and online; and will build online collaboration on its primary website.

CA/NCF