NCJ Number
208223
Date Published
September 2004
Length
51 pages
Annotation
This report describes the implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) in Hawaii, a federally sponsored national program to reduce firearm-related violence, and presents statistics related to the project's goals, along with recommendations.
Abstract
Inaugurated in the spring of 2001 as the centerpiece of President Bush's efforts to reduce firearm-related violence in the United States, PSN's strategy is based on a partnership between Federal, State, and local agencies; methods and efforts tailored to specific local circumstances and resources; the coordination of specialized training for Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors; community outreach and public awareness programs to convey PSN's message to potential offenders and the public; and accountability through ongoing program evaluation and the reporting of program activities. Under PSN efforts in Hawaii, the U.S. attorney has used various events to highlight the existence of PSN in Hawaii. In addition, a public service announcement was aired on local television in October 2003 to link PSN with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Also, there are plans to disseminate PSN's message to State parolees, felony probationers, and other target populations. Prosecution statistics and prosecutors' comments indicate that the direct, immediate threat of Federal prosecution is an effective means of gaining the cooperation of persons who are under Federal investigation or facing Federal charges; however, it is less clear whether individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms are aware of and consider the general threat of Federal prosecution prior to committing firearm-related offenses. This report recommends that Hawaii's PSN Task Force in Hawaii work with Federal and State judges, prosecutors, corrections agencies, and law enforcement agencies to identify the best means to educate PSN's target audiences about the likely consequences of possessing and using firearms. 3 tables and appended firearm-related index crimes in Hawaii for 2000-2003; selected Federal firearm statutes; and selected Hawaii revised statutes that pertain to firearms, ammunition, and dangerous weapons