In the 1990s, changes in violent crime rates, social and political unrest directed at law enforcement, and technological innovations set the stage for major changes in administering criminal justice. Several innovative approaches to policing were tested, seeking to take tougher, smarter, more focused approaches to gun violence, gang crime, open air drug markets, and the recidivism of chronic offenders. These led to the creation in 2001 of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a multi-agency program centered around focused deterrence strategies, targeted proactive policing, and increased use of federal prosecutorial power.
