Project
Exile is an expedited federal prosecutive effort by the United
States Attorney's Office, in coordination with the Richmond Commonwealth's
Attorney's Office and Police Department, to combat Richmond's
escalating problem of gun violence. The project has made significant
strides since it began on February 28, 1997 against the problem,
but reducing gun violence requires a coordinated community response
insure continued success.
I. THE PROBLEM
Gun violence
has plagued Richmond for several years. The level of murders
and shootings has regularly increased each year, with Richmond
ranking in the top five murder per capita rates for the country.
Armed criminals have murdered 111 people as of September 30,
1997, which is higher than last year's record rate (81 as of
September 30, 1996). Looked at another way, the reality is that
roughly every 40-45 hours, someone is shot or killed in this
city. Many citizens live daily in constant fear in parts of this
city. The drain on the business community is real. Brave police
officers face this danger every day. The toll this places on
us all is simply incalculable. Different causes play a role in
the grim statistics. It is a fact that criminals in this city
are regularly armed and willing to use the weapons. The link
between drug dealing and guns has escalated to the point that
every drug dealer is fully armed with high powered, readily accessible,
and frequently used guns to steal from competitors, deter stealing,
and carry out revenge. Even without the drug connection, for
a variety of reasons, the police report a greater willingness
of some to carry weapons. This obviously contributes to the violence.
Finally, as with elsewhere in the country, it seems that domestic
violence is on the increase here, and guns now play a significant
role. This year has seen a series of domestic violence cases
escalating to murder with a firearm.
II. THE RESPONSE WITH PROJECT
EXILE.
Project
Exile is named for the idea that if the police catch a criminal
in Richmond with a gun in a crime, the criminal has forfeited
his right to remain in this community, the criminal will face
immediate federal prosecution and stiff mandatory federal prison
sentences (often five to ten years), and will be "exiled"
to federal prison for five+ years. The rule is simply, "No
Guns." In the project, the United States Attorney's Office
prosecutes all felons with guns, guns in drug trafficking, and
gun/domestic violence cases in federal court. No limits are placed
regarding numbers of weapons or quantities of drugs involved.
When a police officer finds a gun during the officer's duties,
the officer pages an A.T.F. agent (24 hours a day). They review
the circumstances and determine whether a federal statute applies.
If so, federal criminal prosecution is initiated.
The project
also entails taking aggressive position against bond. Further,
in plea discussions, the federal prosecutor insists on the mandatory
minimum sentences for armed criminals. If a plea agreement is
not reached, the case is tried in federal court. In both jury
and bench trials, the prosecution has prevailed.
Experience
since U.S. Attorney Fahey announced the project demonstrates
that federal prosecutors can undertake a large scale prosecution
effort of gun crimes with relatively limited personnel resources,
and with a quick disposition of cases. As of September 30, 1997,
federal grand juries have indicted 151 individuals in Richmond
for federal gun violations. The police have seized 182 guns in
these cases, and arrested 125 persons. Of those arrested, 108
(or over 86%) have been held without bond. Of those arrested,
89 have already been convicted. The large majority will receive
sentences greater than five years. A large number will result
in mandatory sentences greater than ten years. For 36 sentencings
of Project Exile defendants as of September 30, 1997, the average
sentence imposed has been 80.1 months.
III. RESULTS
We have
already seen significant results from the "No Guns"
policy of the project. At the street level we have already seen
a significant and sustained reduction in criminals carrying weapons
on the street. Compared to gun seizure rates over the last several
years, in May and June 1997, the number of guns seized in routine
police work had dropped by more than one third. (See Tabs 3 and
4). For only fifteen weeks, the reduction in guns on the street
far exceeded expectations and hopes.
Beginning
with July 1997, the seizure rates were affected by a number a
changes to variables which makes assessing the effectiveness
of Project Exile difficult. First, a significant increase in
citizen reports of guns on the streets (which represents a successful
result of the public outreach campaign) resulted in more gun
seizures: Second, a Richmond Police crackdown on guns involving
road checkpoints and other law enforcement activities resulted
in increased seizures. Third, federal authorities were successful
in a number of cases which resulted in abnormally high firearms
seizures. However, we continue to see a direct relation between
firearms seizures and media outreach efforts. For example, in
the week following the beginning of spot T.V. commercials about
the program, Sept. 22-29, firearm seizures dropped from 26 the
previous week to 14. Vigorous prosecution efforts, coupled with
publicity of the efforts, does deter criminals from carrying
guns.
Beyond
the demonstrated statistical effect on the numbers of guns on
Richmond streets, success is seen in that the project has convicted
some very bad people with lengthy serious records. In addition,
in several cases, convicted defendants have provided information
which will go toward solving several homicide cases. The police
have caught several large drug dealers through cooperation of
their underlings who are looking at a gun charge. Finally, Richmond
Police Department's morale benefits from a program that works
to reduce danger to the officers.
IV. PUBLIC OUTREACH/EDUCATION
The community
must understand that armed criminals are not a "police problem";
they are the community's problem. Armed drug dealers in particular
terrorize parts of our city. Only if the community gets involved,
and assists, will the escalating homicide and violent crime problem
be solved.
To this end, it was announced in July 1997 that several civic
leaders and community groups' have formed the "Project Exile
Citizen Support Foundation", to support "Project Exile"
with a variety of public outreach and education efforts through
various media. These efforts will help get the message out that
armed criminals will be prosecuted federally, detained without
bond, and receive mandatory sentences. As important, the outreach
efforts will stress that the citizens must assist this effort
by reporting guns on the street. The media effort, funded by
several members of the foundation, has installed 15 billboards
(see ATTACHMENT 10) around the city carrying the message "An
illegal gun will get you five years in federal prison."
and asking citizens to report guns on the street to the Metro
Richmond Crime Stoppers telephone number. In addition, a city
bus (see ATTACHMENT 10) which will cover the entire city by changing
routes each day, carries the same message. In mid September,
a series of T.V. and radio spots, as well as print advertising,
began to extend the message. It is expected that the outreach
effort will continue through additional media, and direct outreach
to community groups such as the Boy's Club/Girl's Club of Richmond.
But we
cannot stop here. What is needed is greater citizen involvement
and support. If only one citizen on each block called to report
an illegal gun (see ATTACHMENT 9 Editorial), that would double
the effect of the police force at no cost to the taxpayers, and
would go a long way, toward making their own streets safe. The
leaders and organizations which have begun this effort have done
great work. But success will require much more outreach and education.
Substantial support from the business community will be necessary
to achieve the results we know are possible.
V .FUTURE EFFORTS
The U.S.
Attorney expects that a federal grand jury will indict approximately
ten cases every two weeks for the foreseeable future. Because
success requires a sustained commitment, the federal and local
authorities have decided to continue the program indefinitely.
Additional manpower assigned by the Richmond Police Department
and the Virginia State Police has actively doubled the size of
the ATF Office in Richmond. The Richmond Commonwealth Attorney,
David Hicks, has detailed one experienced prosecutor to the U.S.
Attorney's Office to assist with the trial workload of the project.
However,
federal prosecutions will simply not be enough. A sustained community
effort is critical to insure ultimate success. With the leadership
of community organizations such as yours, a public education
program can be started to continue getting the message out that
if the police catch criminals with a gun on the streets of Richmond,
federal prosecutors will prosecute them, they will get a substantial
sentence, and they will be incarcerated far away. Only with this
sustained message can we hope to see an end to the gun violence
plague.
It is
not an exaggeration to say that the armed criminal is the terrorist
of our city. We must deal with him firmly, and with certainty
that we will severely punish the crime. Only in this way can
parts of our city, routinely terrorized by street crime and gunfire,
return to a level of normalcy where the decent can live and work.
We must all work together. As Richmond Police Chief Oliver wrote
recently, "The clock is ticking." We'll keep at it.
Project Exile is worth doing and is making a demonstrated difference
on the streets.
*
The U.S. Attorney's Office in particular notes the contributions
of the following individuals and organizations who contributed
their efforts and funds to make the initial media project a success:
