Project safe neighborhoods (PSN) requires each district to develop data-driven strategies to target enforcement efforts in locations with significant violent crime problems and against offenders who…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $161,096 Project Safe Neighborhoods (CFDA 16.609) Formula Grant to the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration's Office of Business and Finance. The grant supports a comprehensive, data-driven approach to reducing violent crime, particularly gun and gang-related violence, in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Key activities include identifying and prosecuting the most significant violent offenders, utilizing focused deterrence strategies, and coordinating with state and local law enforcement and prosecutors. The grant will also provide 30% of the budget to support local gang task forces in the region. The 3-year performance period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

Project safe neighborhoods (PSN) requires each district to develop data-driven strategies to target enforcement efforts in locations with significant violent crime problems and against offenders who are driving the violence. District-based enforcement efforts must accomplish two goals: 1) identify the offenders who are driving the violence in those areas; and 2) prosecute those offenders to provide the most certain and appropriate sanctions. The united states attorneys office (USAO) for the eastern district of tennessee (USAO-E) will identify the significant, violent offenders and target them. The USAO-E will coordinate with our state prosecutor partners to ensure prosecution in the most appropriate venue. USAO-E will target the people committing the violence utilizing focused deterrence. USAO-E will not roll out massive police saturations in one area, but rather go where the data takes US such as focusing on the significant offenders and on specific gangs or groups that drive the violence. The chattanooga police department, for example, is already engaged in crime-mapping. Furthermore, IT maps the social circles of those involved in violence to anticipate where violence will next occur. USAO-E is aware that 30% of the project budget must go to the gang task forces in the area that is represented.