2007 Anti-Gang Initiative Western District of Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance will use their FY 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative funds to support the Western District of Wisconsin, which has experienced a significant increase in gang activity and gang-related crime within the last several years. To combat this situation, the Western District's Selection Committee developed a strategy that focuses enforcement efforts in the three geographical target areas: City of Madison, City of Fitchburg, and Rock County. Their goal is to reduce gang crime in the targeted areas. Utilizing this grant, the Western District has identified the following objectives: 1) funding overtime to increase patrol hours in high-risk areas by 35 percent to reduce gang-related violent crimes by 25 percent in one year; 2) providing gang prevention programs to 250 children and teens; 3) providing public awareness programs to six community groups; 3) working with print, radio, and television media to publicize anti-gang messages; and 4) providing a statewide gang intelligence information program and analytical resources for local law enforcement to assist with gang-related investigations.

NCA/NCF