President Joe Biden’s forthcoming strategy for rising crime rates across the nation primarily hinges on providing states with the “flexibility” to redirect funds previously allocated in the American Rescue Plan toward gun violence and other crime prevention programs.
Biden is set to deliver remarks on the strategy Wednesday afternoon after a meeting with key stakeholders at the White House. Senior administration officials told reporters Tuesday evening the president views gun violence as an “unacceptable” public health epidemic.
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The officials explained the administration is opening up the aperture on how states and local municipalities can spend both the American Rescue Plan’s $350 billion tranches of direct aid and its $122 billion allotments for K-12 schools to include a variety of gun violence prevention programs. Those funds can also be used to supplement law enforcement budgets and payroll and community investment programs designed to keep young people away from criminal enterprises.
Officials were not clear on how the government would limit the reallocation of those funds — one noted that “there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach” to preventing violence in different communities — but added the Treasury Department would offer guidance on how states can spend that money.
Officials framed the strategy as a response to rising violent crime over the past 18 months and the potential for an additional spike in crime this summer. White House press secretary Jen Psaki previously rejected that notion, noting on Monday crime rates had steadily risen across the country over the past five years.
According to the officials, Biden’s strategy will orient itself around the following five pillars:
- Stem the flow of firearms used to commit violence, including by holding rogue firearms dealers accountable for violating federal laws.
- Support local law enforcement with federal tools and resources to help address summer violent crime.
- Invest in evidence-based community violence interventions.
- Expand summer programming, employment opportunities, and other services and support for teenagers and young adults.
- Help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reenter their communities.
The administration announced one part of the first pillar on Tuesday afternoon: the formation of joint “firearms trafficking strike forces” in five major metropolitan areas. The programs will be jointly run by the Justice Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which will “collaborate across districts where firearms trafficking schemes cross state or jurisdictional boundaries to focus enforcement against entire trafficking networks, from the places where guns are unlawfully obtained to the areas where they are used to commit violent crimes.”
“Working with our local partners to tackle violent crime is one of the Justice Department’s most important responsibilities,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Today, the department is taking another concrete step to address violent crime and illegal firearms trafficking. Our firearms trafficking strike forces will investigate and disrupt the networks that channel crime guns into our communities with tragic consequences. This effort reflects our shared commitment to keep communities safe.”
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Officials said Biden will also call on Congress to “take action to end this gun violence epidemic” by repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passing new national “red flag” laws, and approving his fiscal year 2022 budget requests for an increased ATF budget and a $5.2 billion “investment” in community violence intervention programs.
