APRI Highlights - Summer 2004

Gun Violence Prosecution Program (GVP)

Michael Kuykendall Director Gun Violence Prosecution Program

In the wake of the third Project Safe Neighborhood’s National Conference in Kansas City, MO, June 16-17, it is appropriate to assess the progress made in reducing gun violence through collaborative efforts and partnerships developed by federal and state prosecutors, law enforcement and allied professional organizations. Over $1 billion has been allocated to fund these efforts to date, and the Administration’s FY 2005 budget request includes $3 million to fund additional PSN opportunities.

PSN is predicated on prosecuting certain qualifying firearms cases in the court of greatest sanction, be it state or federal, in order to send the message that gun violence will not be tolerated. Since PSN’s inception two years ago, federal firearms prosecutions have increased 68%, while state firearms prosecutors continue to prosecute more than 90% of firearms cases charged each year. Last year, more than 13,000 individuals were charged with federal gun crimes and of this number, approximately 72% received federal sentences of three years or more on firearms charges.

Key factors contributing to gun violence are drugs, gangs and domestic violence. To assist prosecutors and law enforcement with these identified issues, APRI recently published a monograph entitled, Prosecuting Gang Cases: What Local Prosecutors Need to Know. An additional APRI publication will be available this summer to help newly hired gun crime prosecutors meet the challenges of firearms cases involving drugs.

APRI’s Gun Violence Prosecution Unit will be offering six prosecutor training programs during the next year: four focusing on the needs of experienced prosecutors dealing with gang, drug and firearms cases, and two trial advocacy trainings to assist newly hired gun-crime prosecutors. For information regarding these trainings and our publications, contact the Gun Violence Prosecution Unit at gvp@ndaa-apri.org or 703-549-4253.