Technical Assistance to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods
Michigan State University
School of Criminal Justice

The School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University (MSU) has developed an approach to training and technical assistance based upon a set of core themes central to Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). These themes focus upon research to identify the nature of the gun violence problem and formulating a strategy to address the most critical aspects of the problem. This is based on the principle that by focusing resources on the key elements of the district’s gun problem, PSN is most likely to significantly reduce crime.

These themes formed the foundation of training in strategic problem solving that has been provided to task forces from 93 federal judicial districts. Specialized issue focused PSN training has also been provided to 91 districts. Additional training will be provided on the strategies being used to address gun violence through PSN over the next year.

Based on this experience and on going contact with PSN as it is being implemented across the country, MSU is providing technical assistance to individual districts in the implementation, operation, and assessment of the PSN initiatives. This assistance focuses on all aspects of PSN strategic problem solving including assessing the gun crime problem, implementing strategies, monitoring implementation, and evaluating the impact of PSN. In this context, technical assistance is often delivered on-site using a cadre of experienced individuals involved with PSN, working in a peer to peer context. In addition, technical assistance may be provided through phone calls to provide information and respond to specific issues. In each instance, technical assistance is tailored to the need of the individual district.

Through the implementation of PSN, a number of promising strategies have emerged that many districts are using to address gun crime. The include strategies focused upon most violent locations or individuals in a jurisdiction, offender notification and reentry programs, and innovative enforcement and prosecution practices. Through its contact with PSN task forces, MSU is and has been identifying the best practices associated with these interventions and is providing technical assistance in the implementation and assessment of these PSN interventions.

Technical assistance is being provided on a wide variety of issues and topics; the following provides examples.

Strategic Problem Solving:

• Providing technical assistance in conducting problem assessments
  
• On the basis of the problem assessment, designing PSN interventions and integrating research into PSN operations.
  
• Providing District-wide training on problem solving for PSN task forces from multiple sites with the district

Example: In several districts, the task force struggled with issues of whether to focus on one jurisdiction, several jurisdictions, or the entire district. This created challenges for the research partner in terms of focusing data collection efforts. The MSU team worked with several task forces to develop a tiered approach whereby some strategies were implemented district-wide (e.g., increased prosecution and media campaign), additional strategies in a high-crime location (e.g., police-probation supervision), and the evaluation strategy was principally focused on the high-crime location.

Example: Several task forces have used the MSU strategic problem solving training materials to provide training throughout the district. Other districts have had the MSU team collaborate in providing training within the district.

PSN Interventions and Best Practices:

• Providing on-site technical assistance to the PSN task force in implementing PSN interventions such as the most violent offender program, offender notification meetings, reentry strategies, and other promising practices
  
• Working with the PSN Coordinator and Researcher to identify ways in which their PSN interventions could be enhanced
  
• Assembling and Disseminating information on the implementation of PSN Best Practices

Example: During one of MSU’s calls to a PSN coordinator, the coordinator mentioned a desire to learn more about how other districts were using police-probation teams, the Marshall Service and similar fugitive task force teams to focus on high-risk individuals in high-risk locations. The MSU team facilitated conversations between the coordinator and officials from several other task forces that had implemented similar strategies and eventually members of the task force made a site visit to one of the other districts to learn more about these strategies.

Research, Data Collection, and Evaluation

• Providing assistance concerning data acquisition and analysis for PSN strategies
• Working on-site with PSN coordinators and Research Partners to determine the most appropriate strategies to use in measuring the impact of PSN interventions

Example: In one district, the PSN coordinator and the research partner had differing expectations about the focus and goals of the research. The coordinator did not feel that the research partner was providing information that was helpful to the task force. The research partner was unclear about what the coordinator wanted. MSU dispatched a team with experience in PSN research who sat down with the coordinator, research partner, and key members of the task force. The group was able to work through the various issues and craft a series of short-term research products of interest to the task force as well as to put in place a longer-term evaluation strategy.

For more information about the technical assistance that MSU can provide, please contact:

Heather Perez
Technical Assistance Coordinator
(317) 774-9043
perezh@msu.edu

or

Project Safe Neighborhoods’ Office
School of Criminal Justice
Michigan State University
(517) 355-2192