Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2008, $77,348)
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide commitment to reducing gun crime, links existing local programs together and provides them with necessary tools. PSN 1) takes a hard line against gun criminals, using every available means to create safer neighborhoods; 2) seeks to achieve heightened coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement; and 3) emphasizes tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions, and enhanced accountability through performance measures. The United States Attorney in each federal judicial district will lead the offensive. The fiscal agent, in coordination with the PSN Task Force, will allocate funds throughout the community.
The West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services, serving as the fiscal agent for the Southern District of West Virginia, will sub-grant funds to projects supporting PSN's "Hard Time for Gun Crime" initiative. Awards will be made to the Cabell County Prosecutors Office, the city of Charleston, and the HOPE Community Development Corporation.
Cabell County Prosecutors Office, through the Cabell County Commission, will support the position of a full-time assistant prosecutor who will be assigned to only gun and gang cases.
The city of Charleston will provide the Charleston Area Anti-Gang Enforcement (CAAGE) Task Force with funds for: overtime costs to patrol high gang and crime areas and investigate the MySpace internet service for gang affiliation and activities; travel costs to allow CAAGE members to attend the 2009 gang conference sponsored by the OJJDP; equipment for surveillance and taping capabilities in the event of a drug purchase from a gang drug/gun dealer; and supply purchases such as gang informational brochures for dissemination to parents and police agencies, software to investigate gang affiliations through MySpace, and a laptop computer to retrieve and store criminal information.
The HOPE Community Development Corporation will support the HOPE Youth Development Model juvenile and family educational and mentoring project. Funds will be allocated for travel costs for a youth development specialist traveling to schools to promote "Hard Time for Gun Crime" messages and supplies for office administration and youth activities.
NCA/NCF