Significant Declines in Long Island, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Yonkers
Nearly $350 Million Investment Secured To Reduce Gun Violence
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that shooting incidents with injury declined 28 percent through August 2024 compared to the same eight-month period last year, as reported by police departments participating in New York State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative. This overall decline in shootings is the result of significant, sustained reductions in gun violence across communities served by the 28 police departments participating in GIVE.
“Public safety is my number one priority, and protecting New Yorkers and their communities is the foundation of all our efforts,”Governor Hochul said.“Our strategies for tackling gun violence are proving effective, but our work is never finished – we will continue investing, innovating and partnering with law enforcement to make New York a safer place for everyone.”
The 28 percent decline reflects 417 shooting incidents with injury from January 1 through August 31, 2024, compared to 578 incidents from January 1 through August 31, 2023.
New York State’s GIVE initiative supports 28 police departments in 21 counties with the majority of the state’s population outside New York City.
The following police departments reported particularly significant declines in shootings through August 2024 compared to the same seven-month period last year:
- Nassau County: 40 percent decline
- Rochester: 39 percent decline
- Suffolk County: 39 percent decline
- Syracuse: 26 percent decline
- Utica: 47 percent decline
- Yonkers: 56 percent decline
August 2024 data for each of the 28 police departments participating in the GIVE initiative are available on the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website.
In addition to the decreases in gun violence experienced in GIVE communities, the New York City Police Department reported 12 percent (602 vs. 682) decline in shootings in New York City through August 2024 compared to the same time last year.
The FY25 Enacted Budget included $347 million secured by Governor Hochul to fund a comprehensive plan that addresses gun violence, reduces crime and recognizes the importance of a multifaceted approach improving public safety.
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Governor Hochul recognizes that enforcement alone doesn’t make neighborhoods safer. Under her leadership, DCJS has received record-level funding for GIVE, our SNUG Street Outreach program, alternatives to incarceration programs, and re-entry services that allows our local partners to address not only the consequences of crime, but its causes. This significant investment in a collaborative, multifaceted approach to a complex issue is paying dividends and improving public safety in communities across the state.”
The Governor’s investments include nationally recognized initiatives administered by DCJS, which provides funding, training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations in communities hardest hit by gun violence and violent crime:
- Nearly $36 million for the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. Through GIVE, DCJS helps 28 police departments in 21 counties implement evidence-based strategies that have proven to be successful at reducing gun violence, including Problem-Oriented Policing, Hot-Spots Policing, Focused Deterrence/Group Violence Intervention, Street Outreach, and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. These strategies focus on the few people and places that are responsible for most of the violence and engage the broader community to build trust. GIVE also funds district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices in those counties.
- $21 million for the SNUG Street Outreach program, which uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting transmission, and treating individuals, families and communities affected by violence. Community-based organizations and hospitals operate the program in 14 communities and employ nearly 200 outreach workers, social workers and case managers. Outreach workers are credible messengers who have lost loved ones to violence or have prior justice system involvement. They respond to shootings to prevent retaliation, detect conflicts and resolve them peacefully before they lead to additional violence. Social workers and case managers work with individuals affected by community violence, including friends and family. DCJS also supports New York City’s violence interruption efforts, providing $5 million for its Crisis Management System (CMS) so it can bring those programs to scale.
- $18 million for the state’s unique network of Crime Analysis Centers, which analyze, compile and distribute information, intelligence and data to local law enforcement agencies statewide. No other state has anything similar and the centers – operated in partnership with local law enforcement agencies in 10 counties and New York City – are hubs of state and local efforts to deter, investigate, and solve crimes. Last year alone, staff handled more than 90,000 requests for assistance, helping agencies solve everything from retail theft to murders.
- Up to $20 million for Project RISE, a unique funding model that convenes community stakeholders to respond to gun violence, invest in solutions, sustain positive programming and empower communities. In its first year, the initiative supported 99 organizations, including 74 small, grassroots programs, many of which had never received state support for their work. Programs and services funded by RISE include academic support, employment services, mentoring and delinquency/violence prevention.
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