U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Thursday reintroduced the bipartisan Investing in Neighborhood-focused, Vital, Evidence-based Strategies and Trust (INVEST) to Prevent Crime Act of 2018. The legislation would authorize grants to communities to support bringing local law enforcement, community leaders, stakeholders, and residents together to craft local solutions to the specific causes of crime in their area. Grant recipients would collaborate with a research partner to study local crime dynamics and identify evidence-based strategies to reduce and prevent crime.
Donnelly said, “Hoosiers deserve to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. We know that the best results come when community members, elected leaders, and law enforcement agencies work together to tackle persistent crime. I’m proud to work again with Senator Graham on this bipartisan legislation that would help bring communities together, make neighborhoods safer, and allow residents and businesses to thrive.”
Graham said, “This bill will help bring law enforcement, community leaders, and businesses to the table to develop strategies to reduce specific drivers of crime. The grant program enables these communities to revitalize some of their most challenging neighborhoods while improving relationships between police and the citizens they serve.”
The INVEST to Prevent Crime Act grant program would extend and enhance an existing Department of Justice (DOJ) initiative, the Innovations in Community Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) program, formerly known as the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation program (BCJI). Donnelly and Graham previously introduced the bill in 2016.
