BOSTON, April 15, 2015—Prosecution statistics show a decline in firearm and related crimes by female defendants since the launch of a unique program that empowers women no to purchase, carry, or store handguns for their male friends and family members, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

At the request of Operation LIPSTICK – Ladies Involved in Putting a Stop to Inner City Killings) – Conley’s office reviewed prosecutions for the unlawful possession of firearms, ammunition, and other dangerous weapons during the calendar years 2011 and 2013. Operation LIPSTICK is a grassroots coalition assembled to reduce gun violence by reducing women’s roles in straw purchases and storage of illegally-possessed firearms; Conley is a strong supporter.

The statistics showed a measurable drop. In 2011, female defendants were charged in 52 of the 1,494 cases brought under Ch. 269, Sect. 10, of the Massachusetts General Laws. By 2013, after aggressive outreach by Operation LIPTICK staff members and allies, including Suffolk prosecutors, that tally had dropped to 36 out of 1,363.

“The number of female defendants charged in gun and related cases dropped in absolute terms and as a percentage of the total,” Conley said. “From what I’ve seen in the community, I believe Operation LIPSTICK played a significant role in this decline. That’s a success by any measure.”

To learn more about Operation LIPSTICK, visit http://www.operationlipstick.org/operation-lipstick/.

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