Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd) along with Mike Castle (R-Del.) introduced legislation in February that aims to curtail crime by focusing on prevention. According to The Hill’s Lauren Victoria Burke, the legislation is picking up steam:

The bill … has 204 co-sponsors, including 16 Republicans. Ninety lawmakers have backed the bill since June 1.

The bill seeks to fund evidence- and research-based crime-prevention programs and would allocate $1.2 billion over five years to bring together law enforcement, schools and community organizations in an effort to prevent gang crime. The focus on prevention rather than the traditional “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” approach would represent a dramatic shift in dealing with crime and the costs associated with it.

Companion legislation introduced in the upper chamber by Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) has eight co-sponsors.

In the House, the Republican supporters include Reps. Steven LaTourette (Ohio), Chris Smith (N.J.), Brian Bilbray (Calif.), Tim Murphy, (Pa.), Sue Myrick (N.C.), Fred Upton (Mich.), Mark Souder (Ind.), Todd Platts (Pa.), Randy Forbes (Va.) and Walter Jones (N.C.).

And you can count among the co-sponsors Republican Rep. Rob Wittman, who announced his support in this tweet a couple of days ago.

Crime is neither Democratic nor Republican. It is good to see that some of the 435 recognize that.