Southern Indiana Gets New Prosecutor Focused On Violence

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department says the federal Southern District of Indiana will receive an additional assistant U.S. attorney to focus exclusively on violent crime.

The department announced Thursday the Indianapolis-based Southern District is one of 27 locations around the U.S. receiving new federal prosecutors who will concentrate on violence-ridden neighborhoods.

It says the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative will focus the new assistant U.S. attorney's attention, on prosecuting violent offenders. It also will assign prosecutors to each of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's six districts to monitor and prosecute the worst violent offenders.

U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said in a news release that it's "no secret that Indianapolis is struggling with violent crime." He says gun crimes carry the risk of lengthy federal prison sentences.