Prince George's Montgomery County Gang Initiative

The Congressionally Recommended Awards Program, authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects recommended by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-117, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 2010 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY2010 Department of Justice Appropriations Act.

The University of Maryland's Public Safety Training and Technical Assistance Program will establish the Prince George's-Montgomery County Gang Initiative (PGMCGI), a multi-agency, multidisciplinary, regional approach to combat gang crime. They will support the Prince George's-Montgomery County Gang Task Force (Task Force) comprised of police investigators, prosecutors and support staff. PGMCGI will also provide gang analysts and data entry specialists to collect and analyze gang-related data. Information and intelligence activities will be coordinated through the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA and use the HIDTA's Gang Intelligence System to share gang data across Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. PGMCGI will implement gang prevention and intervention strategies in Prince George's and Montgomery counties to increase capacity and resources for youth-focused organizations; implement a public education campaign on gangs; and provide support, shelter, and programming to youth who wish to leave gangs. PGMCGI has four goals: 1) reduce gang crime and violence along the Prince George's/Montgomery County border and selected target areas within each county; 2) disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs operating in the region; 3) exchange information and intelligence through the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area's Investigative Support Center (ISC) to facilitate intelligence-led policing; and 4) curtail the spread of gang affiliation through the implementation of gang intervention and prevention activities.

NCA/CF