Project Safe Neighborhoods, Anti-Gang Grant, Middle District

The Anti-Gang Initiative provides funds to support new or expanded anti-gang enforcement and prevention efforts under the existing Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Initiative. These new funds may be used by the PSN task force to combat gangs by leveraging current strategies and partnerships developed under PSN initiatives or may be used to develop new anti-gang initiatives. The Anti-Gang initiative will be led by the United States Attorney in each of the 94 federal judicial districts across America. Grant funds will be awarded to a single fiscal agent in each of the 94 districts. The fiscal agent, in coordination with the PSN task force, will allocate the funds throughout the community to support the anti-gang initiative in that community.

The Middle District of Pennsylvania will utilize their FY 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative grant to support law enforcement to combat youth and gang violence in the 33 counties that compose the Middle District. The goals identified in this initiative will promote law enforcement partnerships by cross designating assistant district attorneys in the counties that face the largest gang-related violent crimes and serve as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys. This grant will also be used to support aggressive coordinated investigations and prosecutions of gang members with the assistance of the federal grand jury. It will also support the use of federal electronic surveillance statutes, search warrants, undercover investigations and the development of criminal informants to identify and dismantle criminal gangs. These efforts will create close partnerships between local, state, and federal authorities and enable the district to identify, isolate, attack, and destroy criminal gangs in a comprehensive and coordinated effort.

NCA/CF