The Department of Justice announced Thursday that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute was awarded over $135,000 to administer PSN grant funds in the Northern District of Indiana.
The Justice Department says funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Grant funds will support regional violent crime reduction and community building initiatives. The initiatives will be focused on firearm and gang related violence. With approval from BJA, the Fiscal Agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.
The Justice Department explained in a statement, “The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.”
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.