APRI Highlights - Summer 2002

Gun Violence Prosecution Program

In recent months, APRI has received significant funding from the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to serve the needs of state and local prosecutors as they implement Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). With this funding, APRI is able to offer prosecutors three types of trainings related to PSN: Fundamentals of Firearms Prosecution, PSN Enforcement Training and PSN Strategic Planning Training. In addition, APRI’s Gun Violence Prosecution Program (GVP), under the direction of Mike Kuykendall, is developing publications on gun violence prosecution programs that have been implemented in jurisdictions around the country. We will continue to disseminate information through GVP’s Web site and its newsletter, Swift & Certain.

On May 29-31, GVP launched Combating Gun Violence: Fundamentals of Firearms Prosecution at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. Approximately 70 prosecutors and government officials participated in the course, along with several dignitaries including BJA Director Richard Nedelkoff and Kenneth Wainstein, Director, Executive Office for United States Attorneys. The curriculum addresses strategies for handling gun crime prosecutions; federal and state firearms laws; Fourth Amendment, search and seizure, probable cause and other suppression issues; ballistics and tracing and trial advocacy. Four more Fundamentals courses are scheduled for this fiscal year: July 8-10, August 19-21, September 16-18 and September 30-October 2, 2002.

In addition, GVP staff is participating in PSN Enforcement Training workshops around the United States with the Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. In these trainings prosecutors and law enforcement officers learn about available tools in the field of gun tracing and analysis, crime gun mapping, and best charging practices.

GVP staff is also working with the National Institute of Justice to develop a series of trainings entitled PSN Strategic Planning. This course will emphasize the importance of working with researchers in gathering crime data for developing a strategic plan of action to reduce gun crimes. At least seven strategic planning trainings will be held regionally throughout the summer and fall.

For more information on any of these trainings or GVP’s publications or technical assistance services, please contact us at (703) 549-4253 or gvp@ndaa-apri.org.