Justice Department Surges Resources to Combat Rising Crime in D.C.

New initiative includes a multi-component Gun Violence Analytic Cell led by the FBI and additional federal prosecutors to tackle violent crime and carjackings.

• The Justice Department announced a surge of resources to combat the rising violent crime rates in Washington D.C., including a 35% increase in homicides and an 82% increase in carjackings in 2023.
• The new resources include a multi-component Gun Violence Analytic Cell (GVAC), led by the FBI, to identify additional federal investigations into violent crime and carjackings.
• Federal prosecutors from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division will work on violent crime cases alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C., and additional prosecutors will focus specifically on carjacking and firearm cases.
• The initiative follows similar efforts in Memphis, Tennessee, and Houston, and is part of a Department-wide Violent Crime Reduction Strategy announced by Attorney General Garland in May 2021.
• The move comes as D.C. crime rates have surged in contrast to many other major cities in the U.S., where crime rates have decreased.

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