WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced a $1 million investment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help address gun violence in communities across Michigan. The funding is being awarded to the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) and will be used to assess the impact of community intervention programs that aim to reduce cyclical and retaliatory gun violence in targeted urban cities.
“Michiganders continue to feel the impacts of gun violence in their own communities, and we must do more to promote safety in our neighborhoods,” said Senator Peters. “This innovative program will help inform best strategies to address gun violence while helping to curb the cycle of gun-related offenses.”
As part of the project, MPHI will engage at least 100 individuals in three urban areas across Michigan who have active firearm offenses. Once identified, MPHI will provide them with evidence-based programming aimed at reducing gun violence – including street outreach, mentoring, life skills training and opportunities for employment. During the 18-month program, participants will be compared against a control group from the same three urban areas to determine the effectiveness of programming aimed at reducing gun violence.
The funding for this project comes from the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance program, which supports new and innovative strategies for preventing and reducing crime, improving community safety, and strengthening criminal justice system outcomes. You can read more about the program here.
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