Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a national-scale violent crime reduction program aimed at making our communities safer and more secure. The PSN program started nationwide in 2001 and received renewed emphasis in all U.S. Attorney’s Offices in 2017. The PSN Task Force for the Southern District of Georgia pursues investigative, prosecutorial, and prevention strategies to achieve maximum impact in crime reduction.

The PSN Task Force is comprised of federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies, community groups, victims’ advocates, and local prevention reentry programs that work together to prevent and reduce crime. The PSN Task Force works together to jointly identify the areas with the most significant crime problems in the Southern District of Georgia, and to then investigate and prosecute violent offenders. The PSN Task Force coordinates and implements a strategic plan for investigating, prosecuting and preventing violent crime.

Using available crime data, methods and technology to identify offenders driving violent crime rates in the most violent locations in the Southern District, the PSN Task Force then works to ensure investigation and prosecution of those offenders in the federal, state, or local system that can provide the most certain and appropriate sanction in those locations.

An important aspect of PSN is Project Ceasefire, an initiative that works with District Attorneys’ offices; federal, state and local law enforcement agencies; and other local assets to combat gun violence. This initiative uses a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to federally prosecute felons who possess firearms, as well as pursuing other federal firearms violations. The process assists in assuring that the most dangerous violators are subject to very stiff federal sentencing provisions.

In addition to investigating and prosecuting violent criminals, the PSN strategy also seeks to prevent additional violent crimes by communicating directly to offenders about the consequences of violent behavior, and by supporting locally based prevention and reentry efforts. The PSN Task Force works with programs that discourage high-risk juvenile probationers from using firearms and being involved in violent crime. The PSN Task Force also meets with federal and state inmates scheduled for release from prison to explain the consequences of violating federal firearms laws.

Ultimately, the PSN strategy focuses on accountability based on reduction in violent crime, not merely in the output or the numbers of investigations or prosecutions.