(a) Provide a broad discussion on laws meant to control gun-related crime and the issues of various state laws.
From the mid-1990s, there has been the introduction of several initiatives aimed at addressing the gun, drug, and gang-related violence. All these have shown positive strides towards minimizing the levels of crime in various US states. These programs have employed a combination of problem-solving and focused deterrence processes. Despite being a lawful country, cases of gun-related homicides, assaults, and robberies are common here as compared to other western democracies (McGarrell, Corsaro, Hipple, & Bynum, 2010, p. 165). Fortunately, the country started experiencing a reduction of these cases beginning early 1990s. For example, the 1991 report on homicide indicated a rate of 9.8% per thousand populations while in the year 2000; it had reduced to 5.5%. Some of the policing interventions which have helped curb these crimes include:
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Project Exile : This policy was introduced in the late 1990s. James Comey, who was the Managing Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, introduced the policy.
Boston Gun Project : Also termed as the Operative Ceasefire, it aimed to minimize the high level of violence by youth using guns.
Strategic Approaches to Community safety Initiatives SACSI): Was implemented in Boston as a result of the success of the Operative Ceasefire program.
Common and Distinctive Themes : Shared similar sediments with Boston Gun Project and SACSI in using a problem-solving approach in finding solutions to gun violence.
(b ) Discuss project Safe Neighborhoods and the evaluation of findings
The US Department of Justice came up with a program in 2001 to deal with gun-related crimes that had been widespread during the 1990s. PSN, dubbed as the Project Safe Neighborhoods, was a program that represented a significant initiative which has so far received more than $1.5 billion of the federal budget (McGarrell, Corsaro, Hipple, & Bynum, 2010, p. 168). PSN was a result of several programs that focused on both the police and criminal justice. They included Project Exile; SACSI, dubbed as the Strategic Approaches to Community safety; the Boston Gun Project; and the Common and Distinctive Themes. After they were asked to create a task force, the US Attorney’s Offices embarked on a project which included such stakeholder as service providers, parole and probation, neighborhood leaders, the local government, local prosecutors, and law enforcement officers, to name but a few. Incapacitation and deterrence were emphasized through the threat of prosecution by the federal government if found guilty of possession of illegal firearms, gangs, or drugs. The program was funded by the federal government for its communication and development. Besides, research partners in terms of crimes were given additional funding. By analyzing the data from the various cities and using the various models in evaluation such as the HGLM Growth Curve Models, it is clear that gun and other related violence reduced significantly.
References
McGarrell, E. F., Corsaro, N., Hipple, N. K., & Bynum, T. S. (2010). Project Safe Neighborhoods and Violent Crime Trends in US Cities: Assessing Violent Crime Impact. Journal of Quantitative Criminology , 26 (2), 165-190. doi:10.1007/s10940-010-9091-9
