(Harrisburg, Pa.) — CeaseFirePA today applauded Governor Josh Shapiro for proposing a state budget that invests in life saving community violence prevention programs.
CeaseFirePA Executive Director Adam Garber made the following statement:
“Every investment the state makes in a thriving Pennsylvania is meaningless if Pennsylvanians aren’t alive, and that’s why this budget starts with a strong investment in evidence-based violence prevention programs. Governor Shapiro’s proposed budget invests in our lives, and builds on the success of the community violence intervention program he has championed for years.
This is a budget we can be proud of and hopeful for; it will get funding to under-resourced and marginalized communities who suffer the most from preventable firearm violence.
Making our communities safer isn’t political or partisan, and it’s more important than ever that we have strong advocates, policy, and funding streams at the state level. Gun violence rears its ugly head in every community, rural, urban or suburban, and it will take all of us to solve it. Governor Shapiro has been committed to that mission since taking office and we are happy to see him building on that priority with today’s budget proposal.”
Previous years of investment in community violence intervention programs has led to a drastic reduction in gun violence. Since 2022, there has been a 42 percent drop in total victims of gun violence, and a 38 percent drop of gun deaths by firearm according to an analysis of the Gun Violence Archives by CeaseFirePA Education Fund. Regional data revealed Philadelphia experienced a 52 percent decrease in gun violence over two years, its lowest levels in a decade. Allegheny County also saw a remarkable drop, reducing by 30 percent over two years.
