United States Attorney
Joseph P. Russoniello

Northern District of California

TWO BAY AREA AGENCIES HONORED BY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, RECEIVE PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

SAN FRANCISCO—The Youth Intervention Network, in Antioch, Calif., and the San Francisco Police Department today received Project Safe Neighborhoods Achievement Awards for the initiatives they developed to help reduce gun and gang crime, United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello and the Department of Justice announced. The Bay area agencies were among 24 agencies from across the nation to be recognized at a Department of Justice ceremony held in New Orleans.

"I can't think of two more deserving organizations or two more deserving programs," U.S. Attorney Russoniello said. "The Youth Intervention Network and the San Francisco Police Department have each put in countless hours to help alleviate crime in the Northern District of California. Each of them should be applauded for their continued work in the community."

The Youth Intervention Network received this year's Outstanding Community Involvement Award for its comprehensive initiative designed to build and support a high performing and robust community working together to serve youth identified as likely to commit or become victims of violent crimes without prevention assistance. One and one-half years into this pilot program, YIN has helped 25 families of all ethnic and socio-economic groups. Each participant has seen a drastic reduction in truancy as well as significant academic improvement. Families, police and educators have experienced an exponential drop in disciplinary problems.

The San Francisco Police Department received the Outstanding Local Police Department Involvement Award for its innovative violence reduction strategy designed to direct a concerted enforcement effort in "hot spots" in each of the 10 police districts in the city. The SFPD dedicated a variety of resources and partnered with community groups, city agencies, the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, the United States Attorney's Office, and other local and federal law enforcement agencies in a collaborative effort to reduce violent crime. As a result, in 2009 homicides dropped by 54 percent to the lowest rate in 45 years, non-fatal shootings dropped by 34 percent, and there was a record reduction in overall violent crime.

The Department of Justice announced the recipients of the annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Achievement Awards in a ceremony hosted by Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler during the PSN national conference. Recipients were chosen from a large pool of nominations submitted by U.S. Attorneys' Offices across the nation.

"At its core, Project Safe Neighborhoods is built upon the commitment and personal integrity of individuals like those we honor today. This year's awards celebrate and highlight the work that has been done that has truly made a difference," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler. "Led by our U.S. Attorneys, federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement, and prosecutors are on the frontlines on the streets of America every day. We thank you for your service, and honor your success."

PSN is a Justice Department initiative to reduce gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target these crimes and provide the additional tools necessary to be successful. PSN task forces are made up of federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, along with research and media outreach partners, and community leaders who specialize in prevention, reentry and education. Currently, more than 150 PSN task forces are working to create and maintain unique and tailored programs to deter gun and gang crime, and deploy grant funds to support effective enforcement, as well as prevention programs. Since its inception in 2001, more than $3 billion in federal funding has been used to hire new federal and state prosecutors, support investigators, provide training, distribute gun lock safety kits, deter juvenile gun crime, and develop and promote community outreach efforts as well as to support other gun and gang violence reduction strategies.

To find out about more about PSN and its local programs, visit the PSN website at www.psn.gov.

Further Information:

A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office's Web site at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.

Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's Web site at www.cand.uscourts.gov.

All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Jack Gillund at (415) 436-6599 or by e-mail at Jack.Gillund@usdoj.gov.