The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) recently highlighted its new mission statement with a series of events and initiatives focused on community-centered public safety strategies.
Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon delivered keynote remarks at Columbia University Justice Lab’s Square One Project event, “Creating Community-Led Safety: What Does It Take?” She shared OJP’s vision to advance community safety, build trust, and strengthen the community's role as co-producer of safety and justice.
“By explicitly embracing the community's role as co-producer of safety and justice, we’re expanding the scope of responsibility and possibility for the future of our communities,” said Solomon. “We're bringing communities disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization to the forefront of our strategy.”
Solomon discussed how OJP is actualizing its mission through grantmaking, research strategies, technical assistance, and internal organizational changes. OJP is providing federal funding to community-based services aimed at interrupting violence, improving crisis responses, supporting underserved crime victims, assisting young people affected by violence and the juvenile justice system, and reimagining responses to low-level crime.
OJP is also investing in intermediary organizations to offer microgrants and technical assistance to smaller community-based organizations. Many funding opportunities prioritize projects that advance equity or come from population-specific organizations. Solomon emphasized incorporating lived experiences into OJP’s work.
Reflecting on The Square One Project’s contributions since 2018 in reimagining safety and justice principles like fairness and human dignity, Solomon stated: “Square One inspired us to conceive a future that elevates these principles as central to safety and justice.”
The event was moderated by Executive Director Katharine Huffman with panelists including Pastor Michael McBride of LIVE FREE USA; Jocelyn Fontaine of the Black and Brown Collective for Community Solutions to Gun Violence; Jawanna Hardy of Guns Down Friday; and Chief Ernie Cato from the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Additionally, Solomon co-hosted a roundtable with Public Welfare Foundation President Candice Jones. The discussion involved community leaders identifying ways to support community-based organizations in public safety infrastructure.
New funding opportunities were announced by Solomon in a recent blog post. These include training providers for justice-focused CBOs working with marginalized communities; streamlined application processes for funding basic needs for crime victims; initiatives aimed at preventing violent crime; programs improving reentry outcomes; approaches addressing hate crimes; care continuums for at-risk youth; leadership investment programs encouraging those with lived experience; and anti-trafficking fellowship programs promoting culturally responsive service models.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership through grants, training, technical assistance, and resources aimed at preventing crime, advancing equity in justice administration, assisting victims, and upholding the rule of law.
More information about OJP can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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