The Violence Reduction Response Center: A Comprehensive Source of U.S. Department of Justice Violent Crime Reduction Information, Resources, and Assistance

    December 03, 2018

    Background

    The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) offers a wide array of violence reduction information and resources to criminal justice agencies, policymakers, and practitioners, yet many agencies in need of assistance may struggle with navigating available resources and determining the appropriate DOJ points of contact for specific topics. In June 2018, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) launched the DOJ Violence Reduction Response Center (VRRC) to connect state, local, and tribal justice agencies, victims’ groups, and others with crime reduction training and technical assistance (TTA) resources offered by DOJ. By providing direct referrals to crime reduction publications, current grant opportunities, and additional TTA, VRRC serves as a one-stop shop to connect practitioners to the most appropriate resources available.

    Summary

    VRRC helps state, local, and tribal communities address violent crime across a broad set of justice-related subjects, including community policing, crime analysis, gang violence, homicide, intelligence/information sharing, officer safety/wellness, prosecution, and victim/witness assistance, among others. Since its launch, VRRC has successfully connected justice practitioners with available DOJ resources on a range of important topics, including best practices for violent crime task force operations and for addressing assaults against law enforcement officers. Other highlights of VRRC assistance include:

    • Working with a local police department to reduce juvenile gun violence by connecting the department with a subject expert and facilitating an onsite review of agency policies and procedures through the BJA National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC);
    • Providing information to a local government on current funding opportunities for TTA related to violence reduction strategies; and
    • Sharing resources from other government agencies and programs – such as the National Public Safety Partnership’s Public Safety Clearinghouse – to address violent crime in various communities.

    If your agency is looking for assistance to address violent crime issues in your community, but you’re not sure where to start, we encourage you to contact VRRC. A representative from BJA NTTAC will contact you to discuss the specific nature of your request, gather additional information as needed, and direct you to the best available resources to fit the needs of your individual agency and community. Also, to ensure the assistance provided met your needs, VRRC personnel will follow up after your initial request to gauge whether you’ve made strides in your efforts, to understand whether the resources shared have been helpful, and to learn more about your violence reduction approaches for the future.

    Those seeking assistance may contact VRRC at 1-833-872-5174 during its hours of operation –  9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday – or via email at ViolenceReduction@usdoj.gov. All requests for assistance will receive a response within one business day.

    To submit the work of your organization or jurisdiction for consideration to be featured in a future BJA NTTAC TTA Spotlight, please email BJANTTAC@ojp.usdoj.gov.

    If your agency or community is interested in violence reduction or would like to apply for technical assistance, please contact BJA NTTAC at BJANTTAC@ojp.usdoj.gov to discuss your unique criminal justice needs.