About BCJI

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), working with the University of Cincinnati (UC), and supported by BJA, provides training and technical assistance (TTA) for the BCJI sites. The IACP promotes collaboration for local CBCR sites between community stakeholders and law enforcement with the goal of identifying and reducing hot spot areas of criminal activity. 

The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Program is part of the Innovation Suite of research-driven programs at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The program is designed to meet the unique needs of communities large and small with persistent crime problems. By focusing on concentrated hot spots of crime within communities, the CBCR Program directly supports the Department of Justice's priorities to reduce violent crime, dismantle gang activity, assist communities struggling with drug abuse, and support law enforcement agencies by integrating enforcement strategies into community-based crime reduction efforts.

The BCJI model is based on the principle that sustainable reductions in violent crime require collaboration among partners in the criminal justice system, service providers, and the communities they serve. Since 2012, the program has provided millions of federal dollars to almost 100 sites to bring together diverse local partners including law enforcement, prosecutors, researchers, municipal governments, service providers, community developers, and residents.

HISTORY OF BCJI

BCJI provides resources to convene diverse local partners including law enforcement, prosecutors, researchers, municipal governments, service providers, community developers, and residents. Together, these partners examine the varied factors contributing to crime and pursue strategies that are grounded in data and research and supported by people who live and work in the area. 
 
Since 2011, BCJI has awarded millions of dollars in grants to jurisdictions working to yield results in communities, including:  

  • Targeting communities with a concentration of chronic hot spots of violent and serious crime; 
  • Addressing crime issue(s) that represent a significant proportion of crime within the larger community of jurisdiction; 
  • Establishing effective partnerships within the community to provide solutions and commit resources to sustain strategies that work; 
  • Assessing program implementation in collaboration with research partners; and 
  • Planning for effective, sustainable strategies

Note: As of Fiscal Year 2020, the Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Grant has been renamed the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Grant. Grantee sites from Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 were onboarded under the CBCR name, while those from Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 were onboarded under the BCJI name. 

BCJI Program Model

Place-Based Strategy

BCJI sites target a specific geographic area within a community with high levels of crime or types of crime in order to most effectively direct resources and to positively influence multiple social disorganization factors, such as concentration of high-risk residents, limited infrastructure, collective efficacy, and neighborhood physical conditions. Crime reduction efforts often include addressing physical conditions that increase the risk for crime, seeking to harden these targets through assessments and review of land use, code enforcement, and nuisance laws.
 Data and Evidence Driven 

BCJI sites work with local law enforcement and community stakeholders (including local non-profit organizations) to conduct a broad examination of crime drivers in hot spots and then consider appropriate evidence-based and or innovative strategies to address them. Collaborative local partnerships, which often includes research partners, can help a community to assess program implementation and intended program impacts, as well as to assess gaps in services, strategies, and partners. Law enforcement agencies are required as the lead or a partner for strategies and support for crime hot spot and other data analysis to inform approach.
Build Partnerships and Enhance Trust

A strong set of partners and trust between them and community residents is critical for implementing comprehensive strategies in high crime neighborhoods. BCJI sites work to strengthen cross-sector partnerships and to build and enhance trust between partners, particularly between police departments and residents.		 Community Engagement

In BCJI, residents and neighbors, alongside law enforcement and criminal justice system partners, are key to keeping communities safe. To catalyze and sustain change, there must be active involvement and leadership of neighborhood residents throughout the process. Understanding residents’ views of neighborhood change is critical. Engaging in community-oriented strategies should be driven by local data and needs, and should address critical issues comprehensively.

Additional Resources