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Violence Intervention Programs

    Solutions

    Violence Intervention Programs

    What does it solve?

    Violence intervention programs provide evidence and community-informed, comprehensive support to individuals who are at greatest risk of gunshot victimization. These programs are shown to reduce gunshot woundings and deaths in the neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence.

    The Impact of Local Violence Intervention Programs Report

    Gun homicides and assaults occur at high rates within cities, and have a disproportionate impact in historically underfunded neighborhoods within our cities. Gun violence in cities reflects and amplifies this country’s long-standing systemic and structural inequities.

    City leaders, local groups, and residents are driving solutions to reduce gun violence and increase safety in their communities. To reduce gun homicides and assaults within cities, leaders and legislators must invest in community-driven, evidence-based interventions.

      Funding for Violence Intervention Programs

      Which states dedicate funding to violence intervention programs?

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Alaska has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      California has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Colorado has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Delaware has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Florida has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Georgia has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Hawaii has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Indiana has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Iowa has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Kansas has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Kentucky has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Louisiana has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Michigan has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Missouri has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Montana has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Nebraska has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Nevada has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      New York has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      North Dakota has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Ohio has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Oregon has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      South Carolina has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Tennessee has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Texas has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Utah has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Vermont has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Washington has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      West Virginia has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Wisconsin has adopted this policy

      Violence Intervention Program Funding

      Wyoming has adopted this policy

      Myth

      Most violence in cities is gang-related.

      Fact

      In reality, although some gun violence is connected to gang activity, gun violence occurs more frequently within informal social networks tied together by the places people live, the schools they attend, and their places of worship. Gun violence within these social networks is further concentrated into a very small percentage of people. This gun violence frequently occurs spontaneously, following a dispute or perceived disrespect, and between people who are known to one other. These encounters become deadly because a gun is present.

      How it works

      Community-based violence intervention programs apply a localized approach to gun violence prevention.

      Violence intervention programs identify those who are at the highest risk and work to reduce violence through targeted interventions. There are several program models being used across the country.

      Street Outreach: This program model employs a public health approach to fight violence. The program has street outreach workers who actively work to mediate conflicts and prevent retaliatory violence between those who are at-risk to commit or become the victims of gun violence.

      Group Violence Intervention (GVI) programs: This program model utilizes the call-in, a meeting where members of violent groups hear from law enforcement, social service organizations, and community members that the violence must stop. Law enforcement brings a strong message that if violence continues, the perpetrators will be caught and face harsh consequences. Individuals seeking help are connected to social services, including counseling, education programs, and employment opportunities.

      Hospital-Based Violence Intervention programs (HVIPs): These programs are located in trauma centers and emergency departments. They engage patients while they are still in the hospital, often just hours after a violent injury, to reduce the chance of retaliation and violent injury recurrence and offer subsequent case work and services in areas such as mental health counseling, financial and educational support, and more. They are based on the premise that there is a unique window of opportunity to engage victims of violence in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic injury.

      By the numbers

      Stories

      How Everytown’s Community Safety Fund Grantees Prevent Gun Violence

      The Everytown Community Safety Fund is excited to support the local, community-based violence intervention programs that have been proven to work—with funding, peer convenings, capacity building, and advocacy support. Violence intervention programs provide community-informed, comprehensive support to people who are most at risk of gun violence and are shown to reduce gunshot… Continue

      Victories

      You might be wondering…

      1. 1 Are cities inherently dangerous?

      Learn More

      Community-led Public Safety Strategies Resource
      Summer Youth Employment Programs for Violence Prevention: A Guide to Implementation and Costing Resource
      Community-Led Services for Survivors Resource
      How COVID-19 Has Increased the Need for Street Outreach Work Resource
      Gun Violence in Cities Resource
      A Nation of Survivors: The Toll of Gun Violence in America Resource
      Five Ways to Enhance the Gun Violence Prevention Strategy in Your City Resource
      Strategies for Reducing Gun Violence in American Cities Resource
      City Gun Violence Reduction Insight Portal Resource
      A Deadly Year in Cities — And How Policymakers Can Respond Resource
      Hurdles to Healing: Fixing Victim Compensation Funds Resource
      Invisible Wounds: Gun Violence and Community Trauma among Black Americans Resource
      Alternative Dispatch Programs Resource
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      Did you know?

      In 2015, half of all U.S. gun homicides took place in just 127 cities containing less than 25 percent of the country’s population.

      Aufrichtig A, Beckett L, Diehm J, Lartey J. “Want to fix gun violence in America? Go local”. The Guardian. (2017). https://bit.ly/2i6kaKw.