Safe Communities

Gun Violence Prevention

Project Safe Neighborhoods: America's Network Against Gun Violence. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nation-wide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing those programs with additional tools to be successful. Under Project Safe Neighborhoods, each United States Attorney will establish strategic partnerships between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in an intensive offensive against gun crime. The Bush Administration has committed $901 million to this effort over three years. This funding is being used to hire new federal and state prosecutors, support investigators, provide training, distribute gun lock safety kits, deter juvenile gun crime, and develop and promote community outreach efforts as well as to support other gun violence reduction strategies.

Statistics on firearms and crime are summarized and more detailed data are on the Bureau of Justice Statistics site.

Resources for parents offers annotated links to sites on gun safety.

Reducing Drugs in the Neighborhood

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) works with the Office of National Drug Control Policy to administer the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Drug-Free Communities Grants fund coalitions of young people, parents, media, law enforcement, school officials, religious organizations, and other community representatives that target young people's use of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The coalitions also encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts and disseminate information about effective programs.

Research reports on drugs and crime are found on the National Institute of Justice and National Criminal Justice Reference Service sites. Statistics on drugs and crime are summarized and more detailed data are offered on the Bureau of Justice Statistics site. Preventing drug abuse in families is the focus for resources for parents.

Each Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) field division has a special agent designated as the Demand Reduction Coordinator, whose role is to provide leadership and support to local agencies and organizations as they develop drug prevention and education programs. The DEA Demand Reduction Program stands out from other federal agency programs because it provides people - special agents and support staff - to promote drug prevention and education within the community. DEA Field Divisions. Publications.

Cops in the Neighborhood

Tackling Crime and Other Public Safety Problems This compilation of 48 short case studies illustrates how communities have successfully addressed a wide variety of persistent crime and disorder problems, including burglary, robbery, drug dealing, prostitution, auto theft, park crime and others using creative problem-solving techniques. Community members interested in tackling public safety problems in a new way will find this publication provides useful information.

The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office promotes community policing through hiring grants, promoting innovative approaches to solving crime, and through training and technical assistance to implement and sustain community policing.

Statistics on law enforcement officers and agencies are available on the Bureau of Justice Statistics site.

Community Revitalization

The Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO), assists communities around America as they seek to prevent crime, increase community safety, and revitalize neighborhoods. The CCDO works with local communities to develop solutions that deter crime, promote economic growth, and enhance quality of life. Through training and technical assistance, the CCDO helps communities to help themselves, enabling them to develop solutions to community safety problems confronting them, as well as developing the leadership to implement and sustain those solutions.

Office of Weed and Seed

The Office of Weed and Seed is the flagship operation of the CCDO. Weed and Seed is a community-driven strategic planning process that has demonstrated a positive impact on many communities as federal and local law enforcement agencies join forces, share resources, set common goals, partner with community groups, and work together to address troubled areas in neighborhoods. Communities work with U.S. Attorneys to develop a Weed and Seed strategy that involves "weeding out" criminals who participate in violent crime and drug abuse and "seeding" the areas with services linked to prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization. A community-oriented policing component bridges weeding and seeding strategies. More than 300 Weed and Seed sites operate across the country. For information about the Office of Weed and Seed, visit the Community Capacity Development Office Web site.

Cyber/Internet Safety

Parenting Resources for the 21st Century site links parents and other adults responsible for the care of a child with information on issues covering the full spectrum of parenting. Topics on the site address school violence, child development, home schooling, organized sports, child abuse, and the juvenile justice system.

Reentry of Offenders into the Community

Nearly 650,000 people are released from incarceration yearly and arrive on the doorsteps of communities nationwide. The federal government, through the Office of Justice Programs, offers guidance and direction to communities as they prepare for ex-offenders going and staying home.

Community Outreach

Under the FBI's Community Outreach Program (COP), experienced FBI employees are assigned to serve as coordinators in each of the FBI's field offices nationwide. The coordinators serve on committees and boards of local and regional planning organizations for integrated, comprehensive, community-based prevention services for crime, drugs, and violence. They serve as speakers at crime prevention events, form partnerships with local and national organizations (such as Boys and Girls Clubs), and participate in school-based programs. For further information, contact the FBI Field Office nearest you.

Kidnapping/Missing Persons

• When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide
  HTML File or Adobe Acrobat PDF File (1662K)

  Child Abduction, resources linked to from the Parenting Resources for the 21st Century site.

  National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

  CyberTipline: Report Child Pornography and/or Sexual Exploitation of Children