Harrisburg, PA - Today, members of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) took action to invest almost $80 million in state and federal funds for victim services, law enforcement, and other public safety initiatives.
“Every Pennsylvanian – no matter what they look like, what zip code they live in – should have the freedom to be safe and feel safe in their community,” said Lt. Gov Austin Davis, PCCD Chair. “The funding approved today by the Commission will provide critical resources for people and organizations working to make that vision a reality across the Commonwealth.”
The Commission approved nearly $80 million in grant awards to 256 projects. Most of these awarded grants were focused on helping victims and survivors of crime and violence. That included nearly $57 million in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) awards to Pennsylvania’s network of 157 local victim service programs, which provide critical supports to victims in the aftermath of a crime. Funds were also approved for statewide initiatives, including Pennsylvania’s network of local rape crisis centers, crisis response services for communities impacted by crime through the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team (KCIT), as well as victim services training.
“Keeping Pennsylvanians safe and healthy is a top priority of the Shapiro-Davis Administration,” said PCCD Executive Director Mike Pennington. “Through funding approved today, we hope to assist local partners as they work to help communities heal and address some of the most pressing public safety challenges facing Pennsylvanians.”
Other grant funding initiatives approved today range from preventing substance use among youth and young adults, supporting law enforcement and public safety initiatives, and more.
More information about the actions approved at today’s Commission meeting are available on PCCD’s website.
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