Office of Public Affairs | Minutes of the Justice Department Steering Committee on Violent Crime Reduction Meeting

The Department of Justice's Violent Crime Reduction Steering Committee met last week to discuss efforts, challenges and successes in reducing violent crime – as well as how the Department can continue to drive steady, sustained declines in violent crime through 2024. The Steering Committee is chaired by Assistant Attorney General (PADAG) Marshall Miller and is comprised of senior leaders and representatives from across the Department.

After PADAG Miller opened the meeting, the committee was updated on the latest violent crime statistics. Preliminary data from 88 cities showed that violent crime continued to decline significantly in 2024, including a 16.9% decrease in murders, 7.5% decrease in rapes, 3.4% decrease in aggravated assaults, and 5.2% decrease in robberies.

The Committee received an update from U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota on the various initiatives being taken by U.S. Attorneys to combat violent crime during the summer months, when violent crime traditionally increases. These initiatives by U.S. Attorneys' Offices across the country included such measures as: increased education and intervention efforts; weekly, data-driven coordination with local law enforcement to identify shooters and other perpetrators of violent crimes for federal prosecution; increased federal prosecutions for firearms offenses; increased focus on prosecutions for possession or use of machine gun conversion kits that convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machine guns; establishment and deployment of auto theft task forces; and partnerships with the Department's Criminal Division to bring prosecutions under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Initial data showed successful results from initiatives that included, for example, a further year-over-year decline in Detroit's murder rate and a zeroing of auto thefts in the Eastern District of Texas during the summer months of 2024.

The Committee was briefed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service on their efforts and successes in combating violent crime during the summer under Operations Overdrive and North Star. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also briefed the Committee on the Department's meeting with the additive manufacturing industry to reduce the availability and use of illegal machine gun conversion equipment. The meeting took place Friday and included remarks from the Assistant Attorney General.

The Committee also heard from the Department's grant-making agencies about grants and additional resources to combat violent crime. The Office of Justice Programs discussed its use of grants, training, and technical assistance to help state, local, and tribal justice agencies meet the specific public safety needs of their communities. After previewing plans to celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Violence against Women Act, the Office of Violence Against Women updated the Committee on its work at the intersection of firearms and domestic violence and on a key resource for prosecutors, the Prosecutors' Framework for Strengthening Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims. The Department's Community Oriented Policing Services discussed additional grants and resources to combat violent crime, including awarding grants to local law enforcement agencies to hire career police officers.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Deputy Attorney General Miller discussed a new Assistant Attorney General Directive to combat machine gun conversion devices. He also noted that the work of the Steering Committee will be reported to Department leadership, including developments in the Department's violent crime reduction initiatives and recommendations on additional policy actions and enforcement strategies.