OPINION: DOJ Cuts Will Threaten Public Safety: ‘Lives Will Be At Risk’
Amy Solomon, senior fellow at the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice and former Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) under the Biden administration, shared an op-ed with USA Today on the potential impact of recent cuts to Department of Justice (DOJ) grants and why the OJP is so vital to public safety.
In the piece, Solomon describes the many lifesaving, evidence-based services and programs that stand to be erased due to DOJ’s recent decision. This includes Community Violence Intervention (CVI) initiatives, safeguards for students in schools, support services for victims of sexual assault and violent crimes, and more.
“In short, many of the resources that keep our communities safe, strong and healthy were slashed overnight,” Solomon wrote. “Jobs and the fate of entire organizations are on the line. Lives will be at risk.”
“The federal government must continue to innovate and invest in evidence-based interventions that tackle these problems and make for safe and thriving communities.”