The Wisconsin chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement after Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced that $45 million of American Rescue Plan funds will be allocated towards funding for local violence intervention and prevention efforts. The plan includes $25 million for violence prevention and $20 million for victim services.
“Investing in violence intervention programs will save lives. Governor Ever’s decision to allocate American Rescue Plan funds to support local violence interrupters in Wisconsin is a win for gun safety,” said Carly Fisher, a volunteer with the Wisconsin chapter of Moms Demand Action. “As we continue to see high levels of gun violence in our communities, investment in public safety is more critical than ever.”
The $25 million allocated for violence prevention will be allocated to:
- $6.6 million for the Medical College of Wisconsin Violence Prevention Project for research, data collection, education, and community engagement efforts
- $10.4 million for the Medical College of Wisconsin Violence Prevention Project for grants to support violence projects across the state
- $8 million directly to the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Violence Prevention
The $20 million or victim services will be allocated to:
- $100,000 to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
- Support victim services through a grant program administered by the Department of Justice
Community-based violence intervention programs apply an effective, localized approach to gun violence prevention, providing evidence and community-informed, comprehensive support to individuals who are at greatest risk of gunshot victimization. These programs are shown to reduce gunshot wounds and deaths in the neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence.
In Wisconsin, 621 people die and 1,093 people are wounded by guns in an average year. Black people in Wisconsin are 26 times more likely than white people to die by gun homicide. Gun violence costs Wisconsin $3.9 billion each year, of which $138.6 million is paid by taxpayers.
