Wyoming jumps on the "Project Safe Neighborhoods" bandwagon

[jimpeel]

Saw a commercial this morning. "Gun Crimes Hit Home" is the theme with numerous scenes of greiving mothers and admonishing killers to think about mothers before they kill someone.

http://www.wyopsn.org/

Wyoming Project Guardian has successfully applied for funding assistance through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (Project Safe Neighborhoods) to research whether there is a problem involving juveniles and guns in our state. Very limited information exists on the illegal use and possession of firearms by Wyoming's youth. The information that is available comes from self-reported data conducted through surveys.

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On May 14, 2001, President George W. Bush announced Project Safe Neighborhoods – America’s Network Against Gun Violence. Project Safe Neighborhoods represents a nationwide commitment to reduce the amount of gun violence in America. President Bush has made this project a top criminal justice priority in his administration and Attorney General Ashcroft is spearheading the effort by directing all United States Attorneys to implement strategy specific to their districts.

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The Cause for Concern:

National crime figures reveal a disturbing picture. In 1999 guns were involved in over a third of one million violent crimes in our country! 10,128 people were murdered with guns, and 41 of the 42 law enforcement officers killed in the United States died from gunshot wounds. For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. The impact of gun violence is particularly severe on our children and young adults. A teenager in our country is more likely to die from a gunshot than from all natural causes of death combined, and for African-American males between the ages of 15 and 19, homicide involving a firearm is the leading cause of death. Juvenile access to firearms is also a concern. In 1998, 3,930 students were expelled for bringing a firearm to school. Wyoming has not been immune from the violence or the gun crimes being committed and we are experiencing more than our share of incidents.

 

[Blain]

And to think that people wanted the freestate project to be here!

 

[Sodbuster]

Very limited information exists on the illegal use and possession of firearms by Wyoming's youth

That's because the illegal use and possession of firearms by Wyoming's youth is very limited. Very limited. Now give me that grant money for explaining your stupid, I mean perceived, problem.

we are experiencing more than our share of incidents

When you want hard facts (statistics) you can't get them. I wonder how many is more than our share?

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

I would like to know how one separates guns and Wyoming.

Must be that inner-city thing in the urban metropolis.

 

[F4GIB]

A teenager in our country is more likely to die from a gunshot than from all natural causes of death combined

So what. The sun also rises in the East.

This has always been true. Teenagers almost never die from old age, hardening of the arteries, or altzheimers. They seldom need bifocals as well. Teenagers die from accidents and by murder; not from illness.

 

[Hal]

successfully applied for funding assistance

* key words

Kill the funding - kill the incentive.

I've been preaching for years that the most dangerous group going is:
Join Together

Brady, VPC - MMM - Bell - whatever - they all seem to get the headlines.

JT is a "how to" of finding funding.