Travis County DA Creates Plan To Address Gun Violence

Austin TX

16 November, 2021

2:01 PM

Description

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — Travis County District Attorney José Garza released a four-point strategy he believes will reduce gun violence in Austin and the surrounding area. The plan, which was released Monday, is a combination of lessons learned from cities and counties across the country. It includes crime prevention through partnering with violence intervention specialists, crime prevention through limiting access to firearms by people who should not have access, crime prevention through innovative prosecution strategies and crime prevention by treating the trauma caused by violence. Live in Austin? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone. More than 15 local and national gun violence experts and organizations have signed on to support the initiative, authorities said. Officials believe the pandemic's negative effect on the local economy has brought in an economic downturn which has created a rise in crime. One of the biggest rises in crime has been homicides. As of Monday, Travis County officials said there have been 82 homicides in Travis County in 2021 compared with 43 in all of 2017. "The loss of life our community has had over the last few years is heartbreaking. As someone who has been directly impacted by gun violence, I know all too well that we have to both prevent the violence before it happens, and once it has happened we must provide the necessary support and services to heal the trauma," said Clarence Watson, Co-Chapter Coordinator of the Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice Austin Chapter. "We are not in a situation that we can only arrest our way out of, and I am optimistic that the community has come together to work on an effective strategy." High profile national groups, such as Moms Demand Action, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and the Alliance for Safety and Justice have signed on to support the strategy. Local Austin groups such as the Austin Justice Coalition, the Austin Office of Violence Prevention, and the Austin EMS Association have also signed on to support the program. "Our office will continue to prosecute violent gun crimes and homicides; however, we cannot stop the spread of violence alone," said District Attorney José Garza, "We need a cohesive approach that is focused on preventing violence before it happens, and then we need to ensure that victims of gun violence have the services and support they need to safely recover from the trauma they have endured." The report can be found on the District Attorney's website here. The four-part plan plans to address and prevent future guidance by: Use both traditional and innovative prosecution strategies for sentencing people charged with gun crimes. Work with community members to prevent gun violence by creating, supporting, and implementing intervention and prevention programs.Taking guns out of the hands of those at high risk for committing an act of gun violence in an intimate partner relationship. Supporting programming to help survivors and families of the victims of gun violence.