Mike Levin: “the fight to reduce gun violence must be waged on two fronts. First, we need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals…”

“the fight to reduce gun violence must be waged on two fronts. First, we need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, prevent children from gaining access to firearms and give law enforcement the resources they need to thoroughly investigate gun-related crimes. At the same time, we have to vigorously prosecute criminals who commit gun-related crimes. According to the 2000 National Crime Victimization Survey, 533,470 victims of rape and sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault faced a perpetrator with a firearm. The Community Gun Violence Prosecution Program can play a major role in improving prosecution of criminals who commit these gun-related violent crimes by providing funding to hire prosecutors solely to prosecute firearm-related violent crimes. Providing funds to improve prosecution will not only bring felons to justice, but will also act as a deterrent to future crimes. On Monday, it was announced that the Dickinson County, MI, prosecutors office will receive $119,117 from the U.S. Department of Justice through CGVPP. The grant will be used to hire an assistant prosecutor who will devote his or her time to prosecuting violent crimes committed with a firearm. This grant is the latest of several that prosecutors in Michigan, including Wayne, Muskegon and Ingham County prosecutors, have received to combat and deter gun-related crime. The efforts of prosecutors are critical to getting violent criminals off the streets.”