Governor Newsom Announces Record $156 Million in Grants to Proactively Prevent Gun Violence in California | California Governor

SACRAMENTO – At this time, Governor Gavin Newsom introduced a document $156 million in gun violence prevention grants supplied as a part of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP). The funding introduced right now will help 79 cities and nonprofit organizations which might be implementing anti-violence packages suited to the distinctive wants of their native communities.

“Whereas gridlock and division block progress on the nationwide stage, California is main the way in which with commonsense gun security legal guidelines and prevention packages like CalVIP that save lives. We’re doubling down on these profitable measures – examined and confirmed in California day-after-day – as a part of an all-of-the-above strategy to creating our communities safer and ending the tragic cycle of violence enjoying out in faculties, church buildings, workplaces and public areas throughout the nation.” 

The packages chosen for funding sort out gun violence by concentrating on prevention efforts. For instance, an evaluation discovered that in Oakland, lower than 1 % of the town’s inhabitants was accountable for almost all of homicides. Primarily based on this evaluation, Oakland applied a ceasefire technique which centered on deterrence and resulted in a “noteworthy citywide discount of gun murder” between 2010 and 2017.

The grants introduced right now have been awarded by the Board of State and Neighborhood Corrections (BSCC) and can go to packages in communities which might be disproportionately impacted by violence. CalVIP intervention packages are particularly chosen to deal with populations which might be most liable to perpetrating violence and people almost certainly to be victimized.   

“Violence discount is as necessary to this Administration as it’s to all Californians,” mentioned Board Chair Linda Penner. “The revolutionary packages supported via this unprecedented funding are evidence-based, and assist to discourage felony habits via interventions, which offer individuals with the instruments to resolve conflicts peacefully as a substitute of turning to violence.”

California’s gun security insurance policies save lives and supply a nationwide mannequin for different states to comply with. Based on the Giffords Regulation Middle, in 2021, California was ranked as the highest state within the nation for gun security. As California strengthened its gun legal guidelines, the state noticed a 37 % decrease gun loss of life fee than the nationwide common. In the meantime, different states corresponding to Florida and Texas, with lax gun rules, noticed double-digit will increase within the fee of gun deaths. Because of the actions taken by California, the state has reduce its gun loss of life fee in half and Californians are 25 % much less more likely to die in a mass capturing in comparison with residents of different states.  

“The CalVIP program funds the work of heroes – frontline violence interrupters who put themselves in hurt’s approach, defend and heal survivors, and cease shootings earlier than they ever occur,” mentioned Ari Freilich, State Coverage Director at Giffords Regulation Middle. “Final 12 months, Governor Newsom made historic new investments in CalVIP and due to his efforts, dozens of packages throughout the state will quickly be capable to increase their work to succeed in and heal extra survivors, cease extra retaliations, practice the subsequent era of violence intervention professionals, and maintain extra households entire and secure and free from violence. At this time, we have a good time California’s funding on this important work, and thank Governor Newsom and leaders within the Legislature who fought to safe these historic investments in neighborhood security that works.”

At this time’s announcement is the fourth spherical of CalVIP funding distributed by the Board. Governor Newsom made a document $209 million in funding obtainable as a part of his California Comeback Plan. In earlier years the grant program, codified because the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, has been funded at $9 million yearly. The grants present funding for 3 years and run from July 1, 2022, via June 30, 2025. A full checklist of awardees could be discovered on the CalVIP web site.

Program highlights embody the next:

Roughly $53 million of the whole $209 million that was obtainable in CalVIP grant cash stays unclaimed. BSCC will instantly re-release the Request for Proposals to expedite the awarding of the remaining funds.

At this time’s announcement builds on the Administration’s ongoing efforts to fight crime and scale back violence via the Governor’s Actual Public Security Plan, which focuses on strengthening native legislation enforcement, making certain perpetrators are held accountable, eradicating harmful weapons from our streets and dramatically rising funding for intervention and help providers.
For extra data, please contact Tracie Cone at Tracie.Cone@bscc.ca.gov