No Surrender!: A Battle Plan for Creating Safer Communities

"Bill Gibbons' persistence to win the battle against violence and fear in our most vulnerable neighborhoods has paid off. NO SURRENDER! will be a key resource for those fighting to make our streets safer and our communities healthier."---Former Senator Bill Frist, M.D.

"I have known Bill Gibbons for decades. He has always fought for innovation and progress and is dedicated to a better criminal justice system. I applaud his work."---Ira A. Lipman Founder and Chairman, Guardsmark, LLC

"It is every citizen's right to live in a safe community and without fear of becoming a victim of crime. NO SURRENDER! will help communities create their own battle plans in the fight to make their neighborhoods safer."---Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks Former Executive Director, National NAACP

"Bill Gibbons is a smart, tough chief prosecutor for Tennessee's largest county. His ideas for making homes and streets safer make common sense."---Senator Lamar Alexander

"Bill Gibbons' personal stories explain why he is so passionate about fighting crime. Read NO SURRENDER! and regain hope in making our communities safer."---William H. Graves, Presiding Bishop Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

"District Attorney Bill Gibbons' NO SURRENDER! promises to be a redefining primer for new era prosecutors who understand the need to combine a traditional prosecutorial approach with common sense prevention programs such as drug treatment alternatives and prisoner re-entry in order to raise levels of public safety."---District Attorney Charles J. Hynes Kings County (Brooklyn), New York

"Bill Gibbons is a tenacious, unrelenting District Attorney who understands that meaningful crime reduction can only occur after law enforcement, neighborhood leaders and prosecutors implement strategies as a cohesive team. NO SURRENDER! offers a plan to absolutely win at crime reduction, one neighborhood at a time."---Chief Ronal Serpas, Ph.D. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department

Memphis District Attorney Bill Gibbons knows that surrendering to crime denies the American dream to those who no longer feel safe in their homes, on their streets, or in their schools. He describes effective steps taken in his own community of Memphis as well as other successful efforts in communities across America. The clear message of NO SURRENDER! is that we can win the fight against crime.

Citizens are fed up with drug dealers, violent gang members, the rundown properties that breed crime, repeat violent offenders still walking the streets, and juveniles roaming their neighborhoods looking for trouble. Rising crime and the fear it causes result in abandonment of communities by many with the resources to go elsewhere. The most vulnerable are left behind to fight the battle for safety and survival. The downward spiral continues, with loss of jobs, decline in property values, and a fortress mentality of fear, isolation, and failure.

Yet, communities once plagued with crime are staging breakthroughs that few would have predicted or imagined. By using resources in smart, innovative ways, prosecutors and others in law enforcement are working with citizens to become agents of proactive change. Fear and surrender are being replaced with hope and victory over the culture of drugs and violence.

Gibbons is driven by his strong belief that freedom from crime in our daily lives is critical to our fundamental right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He shares with readers how to re-establish strong, safe neighborhoods. After listening to the needs of thousands of citizens, he has developed a solid approach for communities to overcome the threat of crime.

NO SURRENDER! is a street wise battle plan for communities to control their own destinies and win the fight against crime.

Bill Gibbons serves as District Attorney (D.A.) for Shelby County, Tennessee, with Memphis representing the largest city of the district. Appointed by the governor in 1996, he was elected without opposition to a full eight-year term in 1998. In a landslide victory, he was re-elected in 2006.

Prior to being the D.A., Gibbons was a partner at Evans & Petree, one of Memphis' oldest law firms. He held elective positions as a member of the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. He also served on the staff of former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander.

As the D.A., winning the fight against violent crime is Gibbons' top priority. He places major emphasis on street and neighborhood crime caused by the deadly combination of gangs, guns, and drugs, as well as domestic violence and child abuse. He's implemented a no plea bargaining policy on the most violent crimes, worked with other law enforcement officials to crack down on illegal possession of guns by convicted felons, and created special prosecution units. At the same time, he's focused on more effective responses to the community's "broken windows," such as truancy, prostitution and problem properties that can rapidly escalate to more serious crime.

Gibbons serves on the board of directors and as a vice-president of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA). He is also a board member of American Prosecutors Research Institute. He has co-chaired the Metropolitan Committee of NDAA. Gibbons has served on the U.S. Department of Justice's Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He was part of a team of five urban D.A.S appointed to assist and advise the troubled New Orleans D.A.'s office in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Gibbons received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University. He is married to United States Circuit Judge Julia S. Gibbons. They have two children.