Attorney General Herring aims to break the cycle of gun violence – 13newsnow.com WVEC

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring proposes using $2.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding for intervention programs.

NORLINA, N.C. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is urging the General Assembly in its special session next week to take on the issue of gun violence.

"It's really critical that we do everything we can to address the gun violence problem that we have in our country," he said.

Herring is proposing that $2.5 million from the American Rescue Plan be used for his staff to implement what he calls "proven-effective" intervention programs with law enforcement agencies and local community organizations.

"What it does is provide funding for community-based intervention to break the cycle of violence," he said. "We know gun violence has a ripple effect all through a community. It's traumatic."

Herring said previous violence reduction efforts led by his office have worked.

His team worked with local law enforcement, Commonwealth's Attorneys, and gun violence prevention advocates to reduce gun violence and other violent crime through a combination of outreach, prevention, intervention, and evidence-based practices.

He says Norfolk saw a 19 percent reduction in violent crimes and a 25 percent reduction in homicides.

Herring is confident this idea will not be opposed by Second Amendment supporters.

"This is different," he said. "It's really aimed at crime prevention and violence reduction through intervention, outreach, and enforcement. This should not create resistance from strong supporters of the Second Amendment. It does not restrict anyone's firearms rights that they might otherwise have. What it does is bring community-based strategies to break the cycle of violence."

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Attorney General Herring aims to break the cycle of gun violence - 13newsnow.com WVEC