A new analysis report from researchers at Northwestern University for the Government Alliance for Safe Communities, found that large-scale investments in Community Violence Intervention programs are helping drive significant reductions in gun violence across Chicago neighborhoods with the highest historic levels of shootings. The report examined the impact of more than $165 million invested into street outreach and violence prevention organizations across Cook County and found that the communities receiving the largest sustained investments experienced the “largest public safety gains,” with some neighborhoods falling below pre-pandemic shooting levels.
- Largest CVI Investments Produced The Biggest Drops In Shootings. Researchers found that communities receiving “the greatest CVI investment” experienced the “largest reversals in shooting trends following pandemic-era spikes in gun violence,” and that only the highest-investment communities saw “a 2024 shooting rate lower than their pre-pandemic baseline shooting rate in 2019.”
- CVI Programs Expanded Rapidly Across Chicago’s Neighborhoods. The report found that “levels of participation and service provision increased with public investment,” with more than “80 community-based organizations” receiving support to expand in Cook County neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence.
- Street Outreach Teams Connected Thousands To Jobs, Mental Health Care, And Basic Needs. Researchers found that participants received “a range of holistic CVI services,” including “employment and mental health supports,” alongside help meeting “individuals’ basic needs,” with more than 36,000 people served statewide.
More Momentum For CVI Across The Country:
- Tulsa Launches CVI Program In High-Risk Corridor. For FOX23 Tulsa, Paige Orr reports on the launch of “Secure Tulsa,” a new violence intervention initiative focused on north Tulsa where “16% of firearm assaults and 11% of homicides” occur, despite representing just 3.6% of the city’s population. The initiative uses “credible messengers” and violence interrupters to de-escalate conflicts and connect high-risk individuals to “mental health services, stable housing and job opportunities.”
- Wichita Launches Violence Interruption Program Into Hospital Emergency Rooms. For KSNW Wichita, Sarah Moore reports that Wesley Medical Center and Cure Violence ICT launched a new hospital-based violence intervention partnership that connects victims of violence and their families to support services while they are still in the ER. Leaders said the program helps trauma teams “focus on the patient” while Cure Violence staff provide “mental health resources, jobs,” and trauma-informed support designed to “address violence as a preventable public health crisis.”
