Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs, Department of Criminal Justice Services (January 16, 2024)
Summary
Cover letter dated January 16, 2024 from Jackson Miller, Director, transmitting the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs, dated November 2023, to the Governor, the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the chairs of the Senate and House committees. The report quotes the 2023 Appropriations Act creating the Virginia Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund, with $4,000,000 the first year and $9,000,000 the second year from the general fund, and the Operation Ceasefire Grant Fund, with $2,500,000 the first year and $17,500,000 the second year. It also quotes $10,000,000 the second year for the Safer Communities Program and a limit of no more than three percent per year for state administration.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs, Department of Criminal Justice Services (January 16, 2024).”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2024-rd90-f97b7bad3f/
, SHA-256 90f44f63651342e1c44efd747a25cc108edcc891e79f0b55fd2ac4db11909aaf.Full text
January 16, 2024
The Honorable Glenn Youngkin The Honorable L. Louise Lucas
Governor of Virginia Chair, Senate Finance and Appropriations
Patrick Henry Building Committee
1111 East Broad Street General Assembly Building
Richmond, Virginia 23219 201 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
The Honorable Terrance C. Cole
Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security The Honorable Scott A. Surovell
Patrick Henry Building Chairman, Senate Courts of Justice
1111 East Broad Street General Assembly Building
Richmond, Virginia 23219 Senate of Virginia
Post Office Box 396
The Honorable Patrick A. Hope Richmond, Virginia 23218
Chairman, House Courts of Justice Committee
General Assembly Building The Honorable Luke E. Torian
Virginia House of Delegates Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
201 North 9th Street General Assembly Building
Richmond, Virginia 23219 201 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Re: Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
Pursuant to the 2023 Appropriations Act as enacted by the Virginia General Assembly and Governor (Chapter 1, Acts of
Assembly, 2023 Special Session I), the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) produced the attached report on
Gun Violence Intervention Programs.
Please contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Jackson Miller
Director
Attachment
c: Mr. Michael Maul, Director, Department of Planning and Budget
Ms. Kristen Howard, Executive Director, Virginia State Crime Commission
Report on Gun Violence
Intervention Programs
Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund
Operation Ceasefire Grant Fund
Safer Communities Program
November 2023
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
www.dcjs.virginia.gov
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................... 3
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................... 5
APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................... 10
APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................... 15
APPENDIX C ........................................................................................................... 16
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 2
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
BACKGROUND
The 2023 Appropriations Act as enacted by the Virginia General Assembly and Governor (Chapter 1, Acts
of Assembly, 2023 Special Session I) included funding to support firearm violence intervention,
prevention, suppression, and prosecution initiatives:
N.1. a. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the
Virginia Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund (the Fund). The Fund shall be
established on the books of the Comptroller. All moneys accruing to the Fund, including funds
appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds
received on its behalf, shall be paid into the state treasury, and credited to the Fund. Interest
earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys
remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert
to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used for the
purpose of supporting gun violence intervention and prevention programs. Expenditures and
disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the
Comptroller upon written request signed by the Director of the Department 1.
b. The Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund shall be administered by the
Department, and the Department shall adopt guidelines and make funds available to agencies
of local government, community-based organizations, and hospitals for the purpose of
supporting implementation of evidence-informed gun violence intervention and prevention
efforts, including street outreach, hospital-based violence intervention, and other violence
intervention programs. Grant funds shall also support firearm suicide prevention and safe
firearm removal practices from persons prohibited from possessing a firearm, including
subjects of domestic violence protective orders, persons convicted of prohibitory crimes, and
persons subject to substantial risk orders. The Department shall establish a grant procedure to
govern funds awarded for this purpose.
c. Out of the amounts appropriated for this item, $4,000,000 the first year and $9,000,000 the
second year from the general fund shall be deposited into the Firearm Violence Intervention
and Prevention Fund. At least $1,500,000 each year shall be provided to localities with
disproportionate firearm-related homicides to support crime intervention and prevention
through community engagement, including youth programs, to include at least $500,000 the
first year for the City of Portsmouth and at least $1,000,000 the first year for the City of Norfolk.
2. a. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the
Operation Ceasefire Grant Fund (the Fund) and managed by the Department. The Fund shall
be established on the books of the Comptroller. All moneys appropriated by the General
Assembly for the Fund, and from any other sources, public or private, shall be paid into the
state treasury and be credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain
in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest
thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in
the Fund. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer
on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request of the Director of the Department.
b. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of implementing violent crime
reduction strategies, providing training for law-enforcement officers and prosecutors,
1
The “Department” references the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 3
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
providing equipment for law-enforcement agencies, and awarding grants to organizations such
as state and local law-enforcement agencies, local attorneys for the Commonwealth, localities,
social services providers, and nonprofit organizations that are engaged in group violence
intervention efforts. For the purposes of subsection N.2. of this item, “group violence
intervention” means comprehensive law enforcement, prosecutorial, and community-based
initiatives, substantially similar to Operation Ceasefire as implemented in Boston,
Massachusetts and the Gang Reduction Programs implemented in Richmond and Los Angeles,
California, which are documented by the Department of Justice and are carried out between
members of law enforcement, members of the community, and social services providers. The
Department shall establish an application process for awarding grants from the Fund, including
criteria and procedures for determining the amount of a grant.
c. Out of the amounts appropriated for this item, $2,500,000 the first year and $17,500,000 the
second year from the general fund shall be deposited into the Operation Ceasefire Grant Fund.
3. Out of the amounts in section N of this item, the Director, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice
Services, is authorized to expend no more than three percent per year for state administration of
these programs.
4. a. Out of the amounts appropriated for this item, $10,000,000 the second year from the general
fund is provided for the Safer Communities Program to support holistic, community-based
strategies that address the root causes and conditions of community violence. Such strategies
shall be evidence-informed and/or community-driven and shall include: (i) afterschool
programs and mentorships; (ii) connections to education and economic opportunities; (iii)
trauma-informed mental health care; (iv) credible messengers and violence interrupters; and
(v) strategies to build trust between law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders.
Out of this amount, $9,500,000 shall be provided to the City of Norfolk, the City of Portsmouth,
and the City of Richmond, with a minimum award of $2,500,000 per locality and the remainder
allocated to each of the three localities based on population. Recipient localities shall (i) use
grant funds to employ a full-time position dedicated to planning, implementation, and
coordination of community violence reduction strategies, including utilizing existing violence
reduction grants and pursuing additional grant opportunities, and (ii) provide quarterly reports
to the Department detailing expenditures to date to ensure alignment with the requirements
established in this paragraph.
b. There is hereby established the Office of Safer Communities ("the Office") in the Department.
The Office shall serve as a resource for research, evidence, and best practices for community-
based violence intervention, including: (i) providing consultation to the Board of Criminal
Justice Services as it administers the Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Fund
and the Operation Ceasefire Grant Fund; (ii) liaising with Safer Communities Program recipient
localities to ensure collection of the expenditure reports required by the preceding paragraph;
(iii) conducting outreach to current and potential recipients of violence intervention and
prevention grants; and (iv) summarizing violence reduction grantees' use of funds, including
any available outcome measures, noting alignment with national promising practices.
c. The Office shall provide quarterly updates to the Virginia Crime Commission and submit an
annual report by November 1 of each year to the Chairs of the Virginia Crime Commission,
House Courts of Justice Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee, House Appropriations
Committee, and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. The updates and annual
reports shall summarize the efforts of the Office, to include information collected pursuant to
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 4
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
provision (iv) of the preceding paragraph and the findings of the Office's research on best
practices.
d. Out of the amounts in subsection N.4.a of this item, $500,000 is provided to support the Office,
to include positions and support services for research, outreach, and reporting. The Office shall
employ at least one position focused on coordination and outreach and at least one position
focused on research and evidence. In addition, existing administrative funding and positions
authorized under paragraphs M. and N. of this item shall support the Office.
Special Session I of the 2023 General Assembly (Chapter 1, Acts of Assembly, 2023 Special Session I)
modified the budget by increasing funding for FVIP and Operation Ceasefire beginning in the FY2024, and
creating an Office of Safer Communities, where the responsibility for reporting now resides. Additionally,
the General Assembly added the provisions and funding found in paragraph 4.a., creating the Safer
Communities Program to support holistic, community-based strategies that address root causes and
conditions of community violence in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Richmond cities.
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
OPERATION CEASEFIRE GRANT PROGRAM
In October 2022, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) issued guidelines for
Operation Ceasefire grants. The purpose of the funding opportunity was to provide support for the
implementation of strategies that will result in reducing violent crime within the Commonwealth while
implementing effective and sustainable solutions to intercept and eliminate local cycles of violence.
Eligible applicants for this solicitation included state and local government agencies, local law
enforcement, local commonwealth’s attorneys’ offices, and community- based or nonprofit organizations.
DCJS received 31 applications in response to the grant solicitation totaling $9,838,566, far above the
$4,850,000 available for award at the time. Out of the 31 applications, 17 were recommended for funding
at requested or reduced levels. The Criminal Justice Services Board (CJSB) denied requests for funding for
14 applications, largely due to applicants’ failure to adhere to the solicitation guidelines. Grants funded
under this solicitation have a two-year grant period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024.
The initial round of grant awards under Operation Ceasefire fund seven prosecutorial programs, six law
enforcement-based programs, and four non-profit community-based programs. Grants began January 1,
2023 and have all demonstrated progress in accordance with their implementation plans. Although
these grants are too new for much outcome data, progress and general metrics are presented in this
report.
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 5
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
Localities served by Ceasefire Grants
Ceasefire Award Distribution
Charlottesville City
NonProfit
Chesapeake City
Programs,
8.60%
Hampton City
Hopewell City
Law Lancaster County
Enforcement, Lee County
Prosecutori
17.00% al, 74.00% Prince George County
Prince William County
Pulaski County
Richmond City
Scott County
Prosecutorial Law Enforcement NonProfit Programs South Boston (Halifax County)
Suffolk City
Prosecutorial Grant Programs – CEASEFIRE
Number of Programs 7
Total Awarded $3,604,610 (2-year grant period, beginning 1/1/2023)
Number of Prosecutors to be Hired 10.5 FTE
Number of Other Positions to be Hired 5.5 FTE (4 GVIs; 1 investigator; .5 legal assistant)
Preliminary results from January 1, 2023–June 30, 2023:
• Seven prosecutors have been hired
• 114 active federal cases handled by those prosecutors
• 42 active state cases handled by those prosecutors
• 78 investigations
• Two local violent crime workgroups formed
Law Enforcement Grant Programs – CEASEFIRE
Number of Programs 6
Total Awarded $825,830 (2 year grant period, beginning 1/1/2023)
Number of Staff to be Hired 4 FTE (1 GVI; 1 Director of Community Safety; 1 Virginia
Fusion Center Analyst; 1 Community Outreach Coordinator)
Other Purposes Overtime and Training
Preliminary results from January 1, 2023–June 30, 2023:
• One Crime Analyst hired
• One Community Outreach Coordinator hired
• One Director of Community Safety hired
• Six local law enforcement officers participated in violent crime training
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 6
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
Non-Profit Community-Based Organization Grant Programs-CEASEFIRE
Number of Programs 4
Total Awarded $419,000 (2-year grant period, beginning 1/1/2023)
Preliminary results from January 1, 2023-June 30, 2023:
• 43 youth and young adults participated in 16-week mentorship STEM program.
• Four Group Violence Intervention (GVI) local training workshops for community partners and
law enforcement officials took place in the Central Virginia region.
• 24 Custom Notifications were administered to individuals determined likely to be involved in
violent crime
A list of funded projects and summary of those projects is included in APPENDIX A.
FIREARM VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION GRANT PROGRAM
DCJS has issued two solicitations under the Firearms Violence Intervention and Prevention (FVIP) grant
program to date. The first solicitation targeted the provision of hospital-based intervention programming
(HVIP). In December 2022, the CJSB awarded $5,000,000 under the FVIP across two years for HVIP in six
hospitals across the Commonwealth.
Hospital-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (FVIP)
Number of Hospitals Included 6
Total Awarded $5,000,000 (2-year grant period, beginning 7/1/2023)
Preliminary results:
As this grant’s start date was July 1, 2023, no results have been reported as of the writing of this report.
Program Key Goals:
• Equip six hospitals to provide Hospital-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention programing
• Serve 1,000 survivors of community violence
• Complete formal intake, safety plan, and initial service plan on 95% survivors
• Successfully refer and connect 75% of enrolled patients to at least once community-based
resource
A summary of this project is included in APPENDIX B.
Following this, in January of 2023, DCJS released a second competitive grant opportunity for the FVIP grant
program, offering funding to replicate promising practices that have demonstrated effectiveness in other
states. The solicitation outlined the availability of $1,300,000 to fund the implementation of new
prevention and intervention projects or enhancement of existing projects. Under this grant opportunity,
eligible applicants were community-based and local non-profit agencies only. The maximum grant award
was determined by the organization’s size and service area, as described below.
Category 1: Small-sized local or non-profit organizations with under $100,000 in annual operating
expenditures relying primarily on volunteers to operate and may have no full-time employees.
Maximum: $25,000 for 12-month grant.
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 7
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
Category 2: Small- to mid-sized or non-profit organizations with annual operating expenditures of
between $100,001 and $500,000 serving a limited geographic area or target population. Maximum:
$75,000 for 12-month grant.
Category 3: Mid-sized or non-profit organizations with between $500,001 to $1 million in annual
operating expenditures serving a geographic area or target population and is seeking to expand
services to a larger service region. Maximum: $100,000 for 12-month grant.
DCJS received 21 applications in response to the grant solicitation totaling $1,460,594. The overall makeup
of the application pool consisted of numerous local private non-profit organizations, including several
faith-based organizations, and one national non-profit. DCJS received one ineligible application, from a
local government agency.
The Criminal Justice Services Board funded five applications for the 12-month period July 1, 2023 to June
30, 2024, for awards totaling $199,587. Seven of those denied are relatively new grantees with DCJS, with
limited performance reported. The review team recommended giving the current grantees time to
develop a history of performance by executing the existing program before approving funding for program
expansion and providing technical assistance to organizations as needed.
Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program
Number of Organizations 5
Total Awarded $199,587 (1 year grant period, beginning 7/1/2023)
Preliminary results:
• As the FVIP awards began July 1, 2023, no results have been reported as of the writing of this
report.
A list of funded projects and summary of those projects is included in APPENDIX C.
In addition to awards noted, two earmarks specified within the FVIP language were distributed to the
cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth.
Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program
2022 Earmark
Number of Localities 2 (Norfolk and Portsmouth)
Total Awarded $1,500,000
Results:
• The City of Norfolk used funding to purchase equipment for the City’s REAL TIME Crime Center.
• The City of Portsmouth used funding to support hiring two Violence Interrupters and one
Program Manager.
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 8
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
NEXT STEPS
Since 2020, DCJS made over 200 awards to state and local government and non-profit organizations to
address violent crime through numerous funding opportunities. With the past and current investments,
DCJS will continue to provide technical assistance to grantees, produce future grant opportunities for local
initiatives, and ensure that data is collected and reported consistently and accurately. As previously
reported in prior legislative reports, DCJS offered previous opportunities to fund violent crime reduction
strategies 2. Through these opportunities, DCJS identified some common challenges among recipients,
most notably, the difficulty in establishing measurable goals and objectives, and a lack of local program
coordination.
DCJS recognized that many programs struggled to define the population that should be targeted in order
to affect violent crime. This led to the need to determine intentionality: who, what, where, and how
should the program be delivered to address violent crime. Further, when localities are infused with local,
state, and federal resources/funding without sufficient resources for coordination and planning, the result
can be an overlap and duplication of programming effort, which ultimately reduces the chances of
achieving any meaningful impact. These challenges have validated the importance of providing technical
assistance towards capacity building and program sustainability.
To respond to these observations, DCJS has created or designated three positions to support new and
ongoing local efforts to improve outcomes, set measurable performance objectives, and to provide grant
monitoring. These positions include a Violent Crime Program Coordinator, a Prevention and Intervention
Grant Monitor, and a Capacity Building and Sustainability Coordinator. Furthermore, DCJS intends to
engage local Community Criminal Justice Boards to ensure adequate local administrative supports are in
place to better position local projects for success. These steps will aid the grant projects currently
underway, as well as those which arise from future solicitations under the various firearm violence
initiatives, including Operation Ceasefire, FVIP, and the Safer Communities Program.
2
2021, Virginia Gun Violence Intervention Program Report
2022, Virginia Gun Violence Intervention Program Report
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 9
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
APPENDIX A
2023 Operation Ceasefire Grant Program
Grant period: January 1, 2023–December 31, 2024
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description, from original grant application
Office of the Virginia Operation Ceasefire Program
Attorney General
Project Overview: The Office of the Attorney General plans to hire six Virginia
$2,600,000 Ceasefire prosecutors and three Virginia Ceasefire Group Violence
Intervention (GVI) Coordinators for the Eastern and Western Districts of
Virginia. In cooperation with local, state, and federal law enforcement and
the community, these prosecutors will develop and pursue gun- and gang-
related prosecutions and convictions for violent offenders. This initiative
known as the Virginia Ceasefire Program (VCP) will operate in at least 12
cities.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire and Group Violence Intervention
Virginia State Police Virginia State Police Ceasefire Grant Fund
$256,044 Program Overview: Virginia State Police will hire a lead analyst for the Virginia
Fusion Center, that will provide support to local, state, and federal law
enforcement agencies on matters pertaining to investigations of violent
crime activity. This position will be responsible for strategic and tactical
analysis that requires collection of local data on trends and patterns of
violent crime. This includes assisting with ArcGIS (Geographical Information
System) to provide a dashboard of the information for ready access for
decision makers. This position will also work to become a subject matter
expert in strategic and tactical analysis in violent crime to address
directional need of operations.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Component)
The Buck Squad Charlottesville Community Gun Violence Interruption
$94,000 Project Overview: The BUCK Squad will use funding to support the
implementation of a community-led violence intervention program that will
provide crisis management assistance through conflict mediation,
mentorship, and economic development. New funding will allow The Buck
Squad to expand into three additional communities in Charlottesville to
provide the community-led violence intervention program.
Model Program: Group Violence Intervention (GVI)
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 10
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
2023 Operation Ceasefire Grant Program
Grant period: January 1, 2023–December 31, 2024
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description, from original grant application
Chesapeake 2023 Chesapeake Investigator Grant
Commonwealth
Project Overview: The Chesapeake Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will hire
Attorney’s Office
an investigator to be a liaison with community groups and leaders, service
$52,377 providers, and civic activists. The investigator will be responsible for witness
outreach and serve as a bridge between victims and witnesses in need and
available but often inaccessible services.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Hampton Hampton City Commonwealth Attorney Office Operation Ceasefire
Commonwealth Grant Fund
Attorney Office
Project Overview: The Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will utilize
$230,460 funding to support the three major components, prevention, intervention,
and enforcement, of Operation Ceasefire. Each component will have a
specific program(s) to meet the necessary requirements of the grants:
Prevention: Junior Commonwealth’s Attorneys Summer Program (JCAP) and
Educating Kids about Gun Violence (EKG), Intervention: Youth Violence
Support Group, and Enforcement: Group Violence Intervention-Call-In(s).
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Help You Help Me Changing the Narrative
Foundation
Project Overview: Help Me Help You Foundation (HMHY), in partnership with
$150,000 the Broken Men Foundation, will use grant funds to enhance the existing
gun violence intervention and prevention program servicing the central
Virginia area. Funding will support hiring youth mentors, a community
navigator case-manager, and a local peer support specialist. HMHY will
target youth and families exposed to violent crime within selected
communities to address gaps in service and supports. HMHY intends to
implement Reentry Navigation, Parental Responsibility Workshops and
provide additional resources to the existing youth mentor program, which
operates from February to June annually.
Model Program: Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD)
Lancaster County Lancaster Operation Ceasefire
Commonwealth
Project Overview: Lancaster County Commonwealth’s Attorney will hire a new
Attorney’s Office
prosecutor to expand the prosecutorial resources to reduce felony violence
$62,510 and firearm offenses; to investigate and prosecute gang activity, violent
crime, and gun offenses; and to screen concealed weapon applications and
petitions to restore firearm rights.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 11
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
2023 Operation Ceasefire Grant Program
Grant period: January 1, 2023–December 31, 2024
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description, from original grant application
Lee County Lee County Operation Ceasefire
Commonwealth
Project Overview: The Lee County Commonwealth’s Attorney will hire an
Attorney’s Office
additional prosecutor to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth in weapons
$81,766 related cases, such as violent crimes and methamphetamine trafficking. This
initiative includes prosecutions in Lee County and surrounding counties. The
prosecutor will also review petitions for concealed carry and restoration of
firearm rights and note objections in appropriate circumstances to prevent
future violence.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire
New Life Community Passport to the Future Youth Prevention Program
Development Center
Project Overview: New Life Community Development Center will use grant
$30,000 funds to provide access to education, training and life skills to at-risk youth
and young adults ages 16 to 30 years of age in the Richmond region. New
Life Community Center will provide a six-stage 16-week program. The
program will integrate academic, career development, pro-social skills,
leadership skills, mental health support, workplace experiential learning and
career exploration.
Model Program: Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD)
Prince George Prince George Operation Ceasefire Regional Prosecutor
Commonwealth
Project Overview: The Prince George and Hopewell Commonwealth’s
Attorney’s Office
Attorney’s Offices will collaborate in administering the Operation Ceasefire
$249,996 Regional Prosecutor Initiative, to utilize grant funds to hire a regional
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. The prosecutor will be housed in the
Prince George office and Prince George County will act as the fiscal agent for
the grant. This prosecutor will utilize an approach similar to prosecutors
assigned to multi-jurisdictional grand juries throughout the Commonwealth.
They will appear in both Prince George and Hopewell courts to prosecute
offenders involved in firearms offenses and gun violence.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Prince William Prince William Gun Violence Intervention Program
County
Project Overview: Prince William County will use grant funds to develop a
$353,974 strategic and effective continuum of community-based intervention and
prevention initiatives. The purpose of the initiative is to target specific areas
of violent crime throughout the county. The County will hire one full-time
Gun Violence Interventionist who will be solely responsible for coordinating
the implementation of the violent crime reduction strategies and the
coordination of county-wide collaborations, multi-agency partnerships with
the goal of implementing violence intervention efforts.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 12
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
2023 Operation Ceasefire Grant Program
Grant period: January 1, 2023–December 31, 2024
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description, from original grant application
Pulaski County Operation Ceasefire Grant
Sheriff’s Office
Project Overview: Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office will use grant funds to
$57,200 support personnel hours for law enforcement to address violent crime
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
REAL LIFE REAL LIFE Violence Prevention Initiative
$145,600 Project Overview: This project intends to implement new group violence
intervention programming, combined with new community trauma
approaches in central Virginia. Funding will support the enhancement of the
current Group Violence Intervention Initiative. REAL LIFE will use funding
towards personnel expenses for Violence Prevention, Senior Pathway and
Re-Entry Coordinators.
Model Program: Group Violence Intervention (GVI)
Richmond Police Operation Ceasefire Richmond City
Department
Project Overview: The Richmond Police Department will use grant funds to
$50,000 support the REAL TIME Crime Center infrastructure and on-going law
enforcement training to reduce violent crime. Proposed training includes
Hot Spot Policing (The Koper Curve), Disrupting Patterns, Focused
Deterrence, Crime Analysis and Technology and Investigations.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Scott County Sheriff Scott County Operation Ceasefire
Office
Project Overview: Scott County Sheriff’s Office will hire a Community Outreach
$74,095 Coordinator to support the implementation of the Community Outreach
Program. The Community Outreach Program will focus on disrupting the
cycle of violence by targeting youth and young adults with violence
prevention resources. Scott County Sheriff’s Office will also hold weekly
community relations meetings.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components) Group Violence
Intervention (Components)
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 13
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
2023 Operation Ceasefire Grant Program
Grant period: January 1, 2023–December 31, 2024
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description, from original grant application
South Boston Police South Boston Operation Ceasefire Grant
Department
Project Overview: South Boston Police Department (PD) will implement a local
$34,517 crime reduction strategy to address gun violence, gang activity and
surrounding Halifax County. South Boston PD will use grant funds to acquire
a consultant to develop a community compact to build trust and sustain
stakeholder-community relationships. The consultant will also serve as a
third-party facilitator balancing the needs of the public within the interest of
law enforcement and prosecutors.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire (Components)
Suffolk Suffolk City Operation Ceasefire
Commonwealth
Project Overview: Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will hire an
Attorney’s Office
experienced prosecutor to collaborate with law enforcement and
$326,500 community-based organizations to build a sustainable partnership
addressing violent crime. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will also
identify high risk individuals to participate in call-Ins, which will provide
directed cease and desist messaging. Additionally, these individuals will be
provided with healthy alternatives to remove themselves from criminal
behavior.
Model Program: Operation Ceasefire
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 14
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
APPENDIX B
2023 Hospital Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program
Grant period: July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description
Virginia Hospital 2023 Hospital-Based Violence Intervention (HVIP) Collaborative
Research &
Project Overview: Project funding will support the delivery of public safety and
Education
health outcomes for victims of violence in Virginia's high crime areas by
Foundation
implementing Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs) in six
$5,000,000 Virginia hospitals. The HVIP Collaborative aims to enroll victims in a local
HVIP program to serve patients with injuries from firearms, stabbing and
assault, reduce incidents of re-injury, retaliation, recidivism, and victim
mortality by augmenting services and resources available to victims during
and after their hospital stay.
Performance Sites:
• Roanoke: Carilion Roanoke
• Richmond: VCU/MCV Health
• Norfolk (2): Sentara Norfolk General, Children’s Hospital of Kings
Daughters
• Newport News: Riverside Regional Hospital
• Petersburg: Bon Secours Southside
Model Program: Hospital Violence Intervention Program
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 15
Report on Gun Violence Intervention Programs
APPENDIX C
2023 Firearms Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program
Grant period: July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024
Grantee and Award Project Title and Program Description
Boys and Girls Club Boys and Girls Club the Northern Neck (BGCNN)
of the Northern
Project Overview: BGCNN will implement a prevention violence reduction
Neck
after-school and summer program in partnership with Lancaster and
$99,587.00 Northumberland Counties’ Sheriff Offices and the Haven Shelter and Domestic
Violence Services. BGCNN’s intended target audience is students grades one
through nine residing in Lancaster and Northumberland Counties. The project
intends to serve 150 youth.
Model Program: Los Angeles, California Gang Reduction Program
Rings vs. Rent Life Coach Academy
Scholarship
Project Overview: Middle School Success Program, Richmond-Projected to
Foundation
provide a year-round intervention-based support program including life skills
$25,000 coaching curricula to serve at-risk youth; decrease negative behaviors;
implement proactive leadership CARE program.
Model Program: Los Angeles, California Gang Reduction Program
Violence Interrupter League of Advocates
Program
Project Overview: Chesapeake-Project will utilize trained volunteers (Violence
$25,000 Interrupters) to go into neighborhoods and work with individuals that are most
at-risk of being victimized or perpetrating; gun-related violence. The program
works in partnership with law enforcement with a focus on reducing homicides
and shooting by establishing trusted relationships.
Model Program: CURE Violence
Girls Circles and You Pretty Purposed
GLOW Girl Network
Project Overview: Petersburg-Girls Circles and You GLOW Girl Network. The
$25,000 project is set to expand Girl Circles in school and communities providing
trauma informed and healing practices and initiate the You GLOW Girl Network
to build relationships and leadership among girl-centered organizations.
Model Program: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Leading Youth of Quality of Life Counseling Center
Tomorrow
Project Overview: Hampton-Projected to provided mental health, anger
$25,000 management, mentoring, workforce development, life-skills and truancy
prevention programs for youth and young adults.
Model Program: Los Angeles, California Gang Reduction Program, Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 16
File and source
- File
- 2024-RD90.pdf
- Size
- 494,104 bytes
- SHA-256
- 90f44f63651342e1c44efd747a25cc108edcc891e79f0b55fd2ac4db11909aaf
- Our copy
- 2024-RD90.pdf
- Original
- No public link identified.