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Community Outreach

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas is committed to preventing crime before it can harm individuals and neighborhoods. The Office’s Community Relations Coordinator and other members of the Programs Division staff work with many agencies and organizations to help make our cities and counties safer and more secure.   

The United States Attorney and staff participate in or co-sponsor various crime prevention activities and events such as DEA Red Ribbon Day, National Night Out, Houston Youth Ranch Law Enforcement Day, the Corpus Christi Weed and Seed Festival, Brownsville Crime Prevention Fair, and others. 

Department of Justice Crime Prevention strategies and initiatives such as Weed and Seed are often used by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a customized effort to find community-based solutions to crime problems. Law Enforcement and Community Relations Coordinators routinely assist local communities in partnering with federal agencies to address specific public safety needs and goals. Interested organizations are often encouraged or required to coordinate funding requests with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in order to better allocate limited resources for law enforcement and crime prevention initiatives in the District. 

Weed and Seed Logo

Operation Weed & Seed
Operation Weed and Seed is a strategy which aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods. Weed and Seed sites range in size from several neighborhood blocks to 15 square miles with a site population up to 50,000.

Weed and Seed is a strategy partially funded by the Department of Justice, administered by the Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO), and sponsored by the U.S. Attorney. These include four “Active” sites and  three “Graduated” sites in the Southern District. Active sites currently receive federal funding and include West Houston, Houston Near Northwest, Corpus Christi Southeast, and Brownsville. Graduated sites continue programming and participation beyond the five-year DOJ funding span, and include Corpus Christi North and Westside as well as Laredo. 

Weed and Seed brings law enforcement agencies, community service organizations, and residents together in targeted areas using a two-pronged approach to crime reduction.  Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies cooperate with prosecutors to “Weed” out the criminals who commit violent crimes and participate in gang and drug activity. Community service organizations work to “Seed” the area, using a process of prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization to discourage crime. The strategy uses a pro-active and multi-level approach to community crime prevention and enforcement.