Congressman Jason Crow Votes for Comprehensive Public Safety Package

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) today voted to pass a comprehensive public safety package through the House of Representatives. The package included two bills Crow co-sponsored: the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and the Mental Health Justice Act. The package that was passed today includes evidence-based community violence intervention and prevention programs designed to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation.

“This package of evidence-based programs will help fight crime and gun violence, while fostering trust between our community and law enforcement. I’m proud this legislation includes two bills I’ve led on: the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and the Mental Health Justice Act, which are critical to achieving these goals,” said Congressman Crow. “Together, we will end the cycle of violence and save lives while we advance justice in our community.”

This country is in the midst of a community violence epidemic that poses a significant threat to public health, safety, and community infrastructure. From 2010-2019, over 175,000 people were murdered in the United States, which in 2020 suffered its largest single-year spike in homicides on record, driven largely by record increases in fatal shootings. This violence is cyclical: up to 45 percent of people treated for gunshot injuries were violently reinjured within 5 years, and victims of violence are at increased risk of retaliating and becoming perpetrators of violence.  

On top of its unimaginable human toll, community violence imposes enormous fiscal costs. On average, a single gun homicide generates $448,000 in medical care and criminal justice expenses that are paid by taxpayers. In all, gun violence costs the U.S. $280 billion per year.

Studies have shown that in communities such as St. Louis, Newark, Omaha, and Salinas, community violence intervention programs have dramatically reduced the rates of homicides and gun violence.

The package of bills passed today include the:

• Mental Health Justice Act (H.R. 8542), which creates mental health first responder units to help reduce violence against individuals with mental illnesses and intellectual and developmental disabilities
  1. Link to fact sheet.
• Break the Cycle of Violence Act (H.R. 4118), which creates a federal grant program for communities to undertake evidence-based community violence intervention and prevention programs designed to interrupt cycles of violence. 
  1. Link to fact sheet.
• Invest and Protect Act (H.R. 6448), which will help police departments in small towns provide mental health resources, de-escalation training, and training on the use of lethal and non-lethal force to their officers
• VICTIM Act (H.R. 5768), which will help State and local law enforcement agencies improve clearance rates for homicides and non-fatal shootings. This bill responds to the declining percentage of murder cases being solved by law enforcement agencies by giving additional tools to help law enforcement agencies solve crimes.
  1. Link to fact sheet.

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