The southern district of texas, U.S. Attorneys office will strengthen its partnership with the texas anti-gang center, houston police department, harris county sheriffs office, fort bend county…

The southern district of texas, U.S. Attorneys office will strengthen its partnership with the texas anti-gang center, houston police department, harris county sheriffs office, fort bend county sheriffs office, montgomery county sheriffs office, respective county district attorneys offices, federal law enforcement partners, and the mayors anti-gang office targeting violent crime reduction in the houston metropolitan area. The U.S. Attorneys office, in conjunction with law enforcement and community partners, will focus on southeast houston and the northwest FM 1960 corridor (west of i-45 north) as the locations to direct these funds based on rising gun and gang violence. Crime in this area, including murders, aggravated assaults, and robberies, has continued to rise. Specifically, from 2020 to 2021, houston has seen a 14% increase in homicides over this time from the previous year and a 70% increase over this time in 2019. Additionally, charges of aggravated assaults increased over 24% from 2019 to 2020. This rise in violent crime stems largely from gang membership, lack of employment and educational opportunities, and poverty, which PSN seeks to address. The PSN grant will be distributed through the office of the governor-public safety office, after a competitive process, to recipients that have devised programs, strategies, or projects that are aimed at making a positive impact and reducing violent crime in southeast houston and northwest harris county. These programs include, but are not limited to, research and crime analysis, law enforcement efforts, community crime prevention outreach programs for atrisk youth and adults, gang intervention, community-law enforcement relations, and offender and family RE-entry programs.