United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Neighborhoods: U.S. ATTORNEY HONORS POETRY CONTEST WINNERS
41 students from Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport recognized

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, presented awards today to the winners of an anti-gun violence poetry contest sponsored by the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, in partnership with R & B group Jagged Edge and WZMX-HOT 93.7. Late last year, contest entrants were asked to write a poem expressing feelings about gun violence and how it can be stopped. More than 300 contest entries were received and 41 winners from Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport were selected. Joined by parents and teachers, the students received their awards this morning in the aldermanic chambers in New Haven City Hall.

In addition, five winners from each of the three cities were previously invited to the Hartford Civic Center to attend the Hot 93.7 Hot Jam featuring Jagged Edge on Friday, November 21, 2003. Prior to the performance the winners met Jagged Edge and each received an autographed Jagged Edge CD and poster. U.S. Attorney O’Connor and Jagged Edge congratulated the 15 winners before the show.

The poetry contest is the first of Project Safe Neighborhood’s new outreach efforts designed to involve and invest families, youth, schools and communities in gun violence reduction activities.

“The aim of this contest was to prompt the most impressionable residents of Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport to consider the consequences of gun violence,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor said. “We congratulate not only every winner, but also every student that took the time to write a poem. No one wants to live in fear of gun violence. Your participation in this contest reveals your commitment to help make our cities a safer place to live,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor said.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor explained that the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, and improving the safety of residents in Connecticut’s cities. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. More information on the nationwide Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative can be found at www.psn.gov.

“PSN is not just about putting people in jail,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor said. “We have also enlisted the assistance of community groups and others in each city who can provide the support services that assist released offenders in successfully re-entering the community, as well as a comprehensive juvenile gun crime reduction program in each school system, known as Project Sentry.”

U.S. Attorney O’Connor explained that under the PSN initiative, The District of Connecticut's Project Sentry program enables the U.S. Attorney's Office to expand its primary and traditional prosecutorial role in the community by reaching out to juveniles in an effort to deter juvenile gun crime and promote school safety. In this regard, Project Sentry seeks to spread the message to at-risk youth that there are serious consequences associated with being involved with firearms, increase the investigation and prosecution of adults who furnish juveniles with firearms, and improve school safety. Project Sentry also has enhanced, established and expanded partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, federal, state and municipal governments, community groups and the faith community.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov