Source: United States Department of Justice News
CONCORD – On February 14, 2023, the Justice Department announced 49 awards to states, territories and the District of Columbia as part of the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program. This investment of over $231 million will fund state crisis intervention court proceedings, including but not limited to, extreme risk protection order (ERPO) programs that work to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General was awarded $1,306,219.00. This investment in community safety is authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, historic legislation to address and reduce gun violence.
“These funds will be instrumental in combating violent crime and keeping guns out of the hands of those who pose the greatest threat to the ever-increasing fragile safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Jane E. Young.
The award, administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Program’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), provides funding for the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection order programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction initiatives. Extreme risk protection order programs empower family members, health care providers, school officials and law enforcement officers to petition a court to temporarily prevent a person from accessing firearms if they are found to be a danger to themselves or others. Funds can also support interventions like drug, mental health and veterans’ treatment courts, gun violence recovery courts, behavior health deflection and outpatient treatment centers.
Signed into law by President Biden in June 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the most significant piece of federal gun safety legislation in almost three decades and comes as a response to recent mass shootings and to the far more common, but no less tragic, incidents of community gun violence.
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