Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative

The nationally recognized Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative provides state funding to local law enforcement agencies for equipment, overtime, personnel, and provides comprehensive, focused training and technical assistance to those agencies. GIVE is a key component of New York State's comprehensive plan to reduce shootings and firearm-related violent crime, including homicides, in communities outside of New York City.

The initiative supports 28 police departments and district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices in 21 counties: Albany (Albany PD), Broome (Binghamton PD), Cayuga (Auburn PD), Chautauqua (Jamestown PD), Chemung (Elmira PD), Dutchess (Poughkeepsie PD), Erie (Amherst, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, and Lackawanna PDs), Jefferson (Watertown PD), Monroe (Greece and Rochester PDs), Nassau (Hempstead and Nassau County PDs), Niagara (Niagara Falls PD), Oneida (Utica PD), Onondaga (Syracuse PD), Orange (Middletown and Newburgh PDs), Rensselaer (Troy PD), Rockland (Spring Valley PD), Schenectady (Schenectady PD), Suffolk (Suffolk County PD), Tompkins (Ithaca PD), Ulster (Kingston PD) and Westchester (Mount Vernon and Yonkers PDs).

GIVE focuses on four core elements:

• People – The strategy must focus preventative and enforcement efforts on top offenders who have been identified as being responsible for most shootings and homicides or firearm-related violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault).
• Places – The strategy must focus preventative and enforcement efforts on the geographic locations (hot spots) where crime data and analysis demonstrate that most shootings and homicides or firearm-related violent crimes occur.
• Alignment – The strategy must describe how partners will coordinate and align all existing resources in the community in an effort to reduce shootings and homicides or firearm-related violent crimes, where applicable.
• Engagement – The strategy must clearly articulate how organized outreach to key stakeholders and the community at large will occur; how the stakeholders and community will be given a voice; and how coordination will occur in a transparent manner that fosters wide-ranging support for violence reduction efforts.

Agencies participating in GIVE must use Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) as the framework for developing their comprehensive GIVE plan, incorporate procedural justice into all elements of the plan, and implement more than one of the following evidence-based strategies: hot-spots policing; focused deterrence; street outreach; and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. New York is unique among states for its commitment to providing comprehensive training and technical support that helps these agencies implement proven practices and evidence-based strategies as intended.

SNUG Street Outreach Program

The SNUG Street Outreach program uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting the transmission, and treating individuals, families and communities affected by the violence. The Division of Criminal Justice Services funds and supports SNUG programs in 14 communities: Albany, the Bronx, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mt. Vernon, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, Wyandanch, and Yonkers.

SNUG programs employ outreach workers, social workers, case managers and hospital responders who work in neighborhoods experiencing elevated levels of gun violence in those communities. The program also embeds social workers at trauma centers in Albany, Rochester and Syracuse who work with individual and families in the aftermath of a violent incident to offer support, services and connect them to the SNUG program in their communities for additional assistance.

SNUG street outreach workers are credible messengers because they live in the communities in which they work, and some have been involved with the criminal justice system or lost loved ones to violence. They work with teens and young adults to detect and defuse disputes before they escalate; respond to shootings to prevent retaliation through mediation and assist family members of those who have been injured or killed; and mentor youth involved with the program to set goals and connect them with educational and job opportunities as well as other services.

Social workers and case managers at SNUG sites provide those affected by gun violence or other crimes in the communities with trauma-informed counseling, support groups, advocacy and assistance with filing victim compensation applications with the state Office of Victim Services, and referrals for other services as needed; and offer support and guidance to SNUG team members.

SNUG programs also engage the community, religious organizations and clergy, and local businesses by sponsoring anti-violence marches, job fairs, block parties, sporting events and other community gatherings. Comprehensive training, site visits and support from the Division of Criminal Justice Services set SNUG apart from other community-based violence interruption programs across the state and country. This ongoing training and support help ensure that the program operates consistently across all SNUG sites despite being operated by different community-based organizations and hospitals.

Crime Analysis Center Network

DCJS partners with local law enforcement agencies across the state to support a network of Crime Analysis Centers that provide investigative support and information to help police and prosecutors more effectively solve, reduce, and prevent crime. The centers are located in Albany, Broome, Franklin, Monroe, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Niagara and Suffolk counties, and New York City, and provide critical support to law enforcement agencies across the state.

• Crime Analysis Centers Contact Information (8/2024)
• Crime Analysis Center Network Map (9/2024)

The Centers enhance the work of crime analysts embedded at individual agencies by coordinating and expanding those services, which include but are not limited to hot-spots analysis, crime pattern identification and analysis, and real-time investigative support. National and international organizations have recognized the centers and staff for the innovative use of technology and quality of work.

Crime Analyst Certification

DCJS offers a Certification Exam Level 1 for crime analysts working in New York State. The certification is approved by the New York State Municipal Police Training Council, which sets standards for police and peace officer training, and managed by the agency.

• Check the Training Calendar for dates and times of upcoming exams.
• Click here for FAQs and to register for a certification exam.