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Reproductions Supplied by EDRS Are the Best That Can Be Made from the Original Document DOCUMENT RESUME ED 441 210 CG 030 089 TITLE Promising Strategies To Reduce Gun Violence. OJJDP Report. INSTITUTION Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquent Prevention (Dept. of Justice), Washington, DC. REPORT NO NCJ-173950 PUB DATE 1999-02-00 NOTE 266p. AVAILABLE FROM Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse/NCJRS, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000. Tel: 800-638-8736 (Toll Free); Fax: 301-519-5212; Web site: http://www.ncjrs.org/ojjhome.htm. PUB TYPE Guides - Non-Classroom (055)-- Reference Materials Directories /Catalogs (132)-- Reports - Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Community Action; *Crime Prevention; Delinquency Prevention; *Gun Control; Guns; Improvement Programs; Research Reports; Secondary Education; Secondary School Students; Violence IDENTIFIERS *National Needs ABSTRACT In recent years, communities across the country have struggled to develop effective solutions to the problem of gun violence. Many have approached the United States Department of Justice for help in identifying solutions. This publication was developed in response to these requests. It is designed to provide state and local elected officials, school administrators, and law enforcement with the tools for fighting violence in their communities. A survey by the Department of Justice was conducted of 400, gun violence programs in the nation. Additional analysis of the programs yielded the 60 programs and comprehensive strategies that are included in this report. Sections 1 and 2 provide current data on the nature of gun violence and a blueprint for addressing the problem at the community level. Section 3 profiles several successful examples of gun violence reduction plans. Sections 4 through 7 are grouped according to the point of intervention along the three-phase continuum (illegal acquisition of firearms; illegal possession and carrying of firearms; illegal, improper, or careless use of firearms) that each seeks to address. Section 8 provides a range of program resources and contacts for communities to reduce gun violence. Sections 9 and 10 consist of references and appendixes. Appendixes include: "Geographical Index of Promising Gun Violence Reduction Strategies"; "Alphabetical Index of Promising Gun Violence Reduction Strategies"; "Matrix of Participating Key Agencies and Organizations"; "Candidate Programs Identified for the Inventory"; "Organizations and Sources Contacted for the Inventory"; and "Inventory of Promising Gun Violence Reduction Strategies." (Contains 71 references, 2 tables, and 4 figures.) (JDM) . Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. IU.S. Department o Office of Justice dikl"DelingiencyPren entto,n 4 U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it ilea Minor changes have been made to ton improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy MEI vine BEST COPYAVAILABLE Report 2 1, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention ( OJJDP) was established by the President and Con- gress through the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974, Public Law 93-415, as amended. Located within the Office of Justice Programs of the U.S. Department of Justice, OJJDP's goal is to provide national leadership in addressing the issues of juvenile delinquency and improving juvenile justice. ()EDP sponsors a broad array of research, program, and training initiatives to improve the juvenile justice system as a whole, as well as to benefit individual youth-serving agencies. These initiatives are carried out by seven components within OJJDP, described below. Research and Program Development Division Information Dissemination Unit informs individuals develops knowledge on national trends in juvenile and organizations of OJJDP initiatives; disseminates delinquency; supports a program for data collection information on juvenile justice, delinquency preven- and information sharing that incorporates elements tion, and missing children; and coordinates program of statistical and systems development; identifies planning efforts within OJJDP. The unit's activities how delinquency develops and the best methods include publishing research and statistical reports, for its prevention, intervention, and treatment; and bulletins, and other documents, as well as overseeing analyzes practices and trends in the juvenile justice the operations of the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse. system. Concentration of Federal Efforts Program pro- Training and Technical Assistance Division pro- motes interagency cooperation and coordination vides juvenile justice training and technical assist- among Federal agencies with responsibilities in the ance to Federal, State, and local governments; law area of juvenile justice. The program primarily carries enforcement, judiciary, and corrections personnel; out this responsibility through the Coordinating Coun- and private agencies, educational institutions, and cil on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, an community organizations. independent body within the executive branch that was established by Congress through the JJDP Act. Special Emphasis Division provides discretionary funds to public and private agencies, organizations, Missing and Exploited Children's Program seeks to and individuals to replicate tested approaches to promote effective policies and procedures for address- delinquency prevention, treatment, and control in ing the problem of missing and exploited children. such pertinent areas as chronic juvenile offenders, Established by the Missing Children's Assistance Act community-based sanctions, and the disproportionate of 1984, the program provides funds for a variety of representation of minorities in the juvenile justice activities to support and coordinate a network of re- system. sources such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; training and technical assistance State Relations and Assistance Division supports to a network of 47 State clearinghouses, nonprofit collaborative efforts by States to carry out the man- organizations, law enforcement personnel, and attor- dates of the JJDP Act by providing formula grant neys; and research and demonstration programs. funds to States; furnishing technical assistance to States, local governments, and private agencies; and monitoring State compliance with the JJDP Act. The mission of OJJDP is to provide national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent juvenile victimization and respond appropriately to juvenile delinquency. This is accomplished through developing and implementing pre- vention programs and a juvenile justice system that protects the public safety, holds juvenile offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services based on the needs of each individual juvenile. Promising Strategies To Reduce Gun Violence Report Shay Bilchik, Administrator Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention February 1999 NOV:.,..-:,;riti.,64.41,144.10,4,,, Ar.,:.:4446,1434,.64,S1 U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Janet Reno Attorney General Raymond C. Fisher Associate Attorney General Laurie Robinson Assistant Attorney General Shay Bilchik Administrator Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Cover photographs clockwise from top left: copyright © 1995 PhotoDisc, Inc.; copyright1997 PhotoDisc, Inc.; copyright 1997 Digital Stock Corporation; copyright 1998 Digital Stock Corporation. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Foreword All of us should be able to feel safe and secure on streets, in our schools, at work, and in our homes. Yet too many Americans are threatened by violence every day. Gun-related violence, in particular, represents a major threat to the health and safety of all Americans. Every day in America, 93 people die from gunshot wounds, and approximately 240 sustain gunshot injuries. In addi- tion to the human suffering caused by these injuries and fatalities, gunshot wounds cost approximately $40 billion in medical care, public service, and work-loss costs each year. Reducing the number of gun-related injuries and deaths must become a national priority. At the Federal level, and especially at the State and local level, we must implement comprehensive strategies that address not just the consequences of violence, but also its underlying causes. Since 1993, as I have traveled the country as Attorney General, I have had the privilege of observing many innovative, local responses to gun violence that have been developed by police, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, mayors, school officials, and other leaders who recognized a problem, deviseda solution in collabora- tion with other members of their community, and worked to see it implemented. At the same time, many other communities are still looking for effective solutions to their own gun violence problems. It is my hope that this Report, Promising Strategies To Reduce Gun Violence,
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