BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, and Secretary of Public Safety and Security Dan Bennett announced the release of $6.7 million in competitive grant funds to communities and local partners to bolster their efforts to combat gang violence.
The awards, made to 15 communities and 10 Local Action Research Partners (LARPs) through the Shannon Community Safety Initiative, are available specifically for the purpose of combatting gang violence in the Commonwealth.
Westfield State University received $18,032.10 as a LARP to assist Shannon Community Safety Initiative sites by providing strategic, analytic, technical, and research support. These partners received grants totaling $470,000.
“The cities and local partners selected for these grants have demonstrated commitment and creativity in combatting the gang violence that threatens the safety and well-being of the residents of their communities,” said Baker. “By using a multidimensional approach that employs a full range of diverse and effective techniques these communities have empowered themselves to make a serious impact on youth violence and gang activity.”
The $6.3M awarded to the CSI sites provides funding to communities that demonstrate high levels of youth violence and gang problems, a comprehensive plan to work with multi-disciplinary partners, and a commitment to coordinated prevention and intervention strategies. Funded strategies include social intervention and opportunity provision programs, as well as gang task force personnel costs and overtime.
“This funding will allow cities and local partners to further enhance community outreach to at-risk youth and provide them with positive opportunities that divert them away from gang activity and toward a brighter future,” said Polito. “This effort is coupled with programming that provides education, training, and employment direction for young people at high risk for either youth violence or involvement in a gang.”
“Monitoring the activity of gang-involved youth and other high impact players by police, prosecutors, probation officers, and other officers of the court can result in significant disruption of criminal activity,” said Bennett.
“This funding has been a critical component to the City’s strategy in addressing youth, gun and gang violence in Boston,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans. “With this funding we can provide involved youth with direct services through all our local partners,” said Commissioner Evans. “I thank Governor Baker and Secretary Bennett for continuing to support the great work being done in Boston and across Massachusetts.”
