The middle district of pennsylvania PSN task force proposes to use the 2024 PSN allocation to fund an expansion of the violent crime reduction program (VCRP)

The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $129,433 Project Safe Neighborhoods (CFDA 16.609) Formula Grant to the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association Division, doing business as the Pennsylvania District Attorney's Institute. The grant will fund an expansion of the Violent Crime Reduction Program (VCRP) within the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Key elements of the program include:

• Supporting a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) position to attend crime meetings, refer local cases for federal prosecution, and handle the prosecution in federal court as part of targeted law enforcement efforts.
• Continuing data collection and analysis to inform the VCRP expansion, while also including plans for community engagement and partnership.

The 3-year grant period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027. The Project Safe Neighborhoods program provides formula grants to federal judicial districts to develop and implement comprehensive, data-driven approaches to addressing violent crime, particularly gun and gang-related violence, through collaborative strategies involving federal, state, and local law enforcement, prosecutors, and community partners.

There is a sound infrastructure of VCRP already in place in the district involving partnership through regular crime meetings and case adoptions, an active federal task force officer (TFO) program and initiatives such as york group violence intervention (GVI) and mdpa court assisted reentry (CARE) court. The VCRP expansion will be concentrated on targeted law enforcement as a crime reduction vehicle. The bulk of the funding will be dedicated to supporting a special assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) who currently works for the york county district attorneys office. The SAUSA will attend the crime meetings, refer local cases for federal prosecution, and handle the prosecution in federal court. While targeted enforcement will be a focus of the VCRP expansion, proposals will also include plans for community engagement and partnership as well as continued data collection and analysis.