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ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT ANNOUNCES $153.78 MILLION FUNDING

WASHINGTON, DC Attorney General John Ashcroft today announced that in the president's budget request for 2002, key Department of Justice programs to fight gun crimes and increase firearm safety will receive a funding increase of $153.78 million, up 9.7% from last year.

"Addressing gun violence is a top priority in next year's budget," Ashcroft said. "There are tough laws against gun violence on the books and we must enforce them vigorously. We can also direct additional resources toward protecting people from gun violence. To do so, this budget prioritizes trigger locks, prosecution of gun crimes and police officers in schools."

The budget provides $180 million for School Resource Officers as part of the Community Oriented Policing (COPS) program. The recent school shooting in El Cajon, California, where a police officer on site apprehended the shooter before he was able to inflict further harm demonstrates the immense value of the program to school safety.

Under the Bush administration's new Project Sentry, $9 million and 94 new positions for U.S. Attorney's offices will establish a new federal-state law enforcement partnership to identify and prosecute juveniles who violate state and federal firearms laws and adults who supply guns to juveniles. Project Sentry also provides $20 million in grants to support state-level gun prosecutions and establish Safe School Task Forces between law enforcement community groups and schools.

In addition, the budget provides $49.78 million for grants to encourage state prosecution of gun criminals. The funding will help states deter gun crimes by targeting gun criminals, increasing arrests and prosecutions and raising public awareness.

The president's budget request also creates Project Child Safe, a new program that will provide $75 million annually for five years to ensure that child safety locks are available for every gun in America. The funds will help allow state and local governments to purchase and distribute child safety locks. The program also creates a toll-free hotline and public relations campaign to raise public awareness of safety lock availability.

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