Recommendation area ▸

Community-Based Violence Prevention

The Problem ▸

It has long been recognized that law enforcement alone cannot prevent crime and make communities safe. Contemporary thinking suggests that crime and violence prevention must be a co-production between law enforcement agencies, the community they serve, and other parts of the criminal justice system, such as prosecutors and corrections. Because of the crucial role that law enforcement plays, it must — like other bedrock institutions — be carefully monitored to reduce the negative impact its actions have on the community and individuals. Much of policing focuses on reactive strategies such as stops, citations, and arrests, which can have a negative impact and create secondary harm to social structures and community stability. Collaboration is crucial to the effectiveness of programs and policies that touch so many lives, and strategies that strengthen police-community partnerships can reduce crime and victimization while also minimizing the collateral harm of over-policing and punitive criminal justice responses.

What We Know ▸

Crime can be reduced by investment in community vitality and wellbeing

Research has found that when communities have more nonprofit organizations focused on reducing violence and building strong communities, there is less violent and property crime.[1] [2] Access to mental healthcare and substance abuse treatment[3] [4], and affordable housing programs[5] have also been associated with decreased crime and violence. Investing in the physical environment can also reduce property and violent crime. Studies have documented correlations between physical improvements — such as increased green space[6] [7] [8], reductions in vacant lots[9] [10], and increased street lighting[11] [12] — with lower crime and greater perceptions of safety.

Youth engagement strategies can reduce youth crime

Programs need to be sensitive to community context

Community-based violence prevention programs should be designed to fit the demographics, type of violence, and risk and protective factors of the community it is being implemented.[26] [27] Programs often include a variety of strategies such as social and professional development, intervention, outreach and engagement, counseling and therapy, case management, and financial support. Programs must also be sensitive and flexible in identifying and engaging the stakeholders and influential community leaders. Stakeholders can include clergy, elders, community activists, and athletes.

Although many programs have succeeded, success seems contingent on local implementation and evaluation methods

It remains unclear which components of violence prevention programs lead to success. A meta-evaluation of community policing suggests that these strategies improve public satisfaction, perceptions of disorder, and police legitimacy, but have limited effects on crime and fear of crime.[28] Another meta-analysis of problem-oriented policing suggests that it reduces crime and disorder, but has a limited impact on police legitimacy, fear of crime, and collective efficacy. Given inconsistencies in current research findings, best practices for violence prevention programs should include:

Tailoring to local problems
Identification of problems, informed by a variety of stakeholders
Clear definition of strategies that are supported by research and are implemented with high fidelity to program design
Consistent funding for programs shown to be effective

The effectiveness of violence interruption programs varies

Violence interruption programs focus on intervening in violence, mediating conflict, and preventing violence through outreach, strengthening anti-violence norms, and building positive peer relationships. Although program evaluations have been generally positive, success depends on local implementation and context. Research findings on this approach are mixed. Some implementations found reductions in shootings, homicides, and assaults, while others found no impact or an increase in violence.[29] [30] [31] Other programs based on mentorship, cognitive behavioral therapy, professional development, financial incentives, and community-based crisis response have been effective in reducing violence and may even have positive spillover effects.[32] [33] [34] [35] Hospital-based violence intervention programs, which focus on intervening while an individual is in the hospital as a result of a violent injury, have been found to reduce violent reinjury, violent crime arrests, and convictions. [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41]

Law enforcement cannot be solely responsible for public safety

The co-production of public safety through police-community partnerships is essential for safe and healthy communities. Several programs focused on developing strong partnerships had positive impacts. For example, Project ROAR focused on developing inter-agency collaboration (comprised of tenants, social service agency and housing authority staff, business owners, politicians and policymakers, and police) to empower public housing tenants to improve their quality of life. An evaluation found that residents’ perceptions of the quality of their neighborhood life, police services, and decreased crime improved.[42] Other programs involving a variety of strategies have demonstrated that strong police-community partnerships can both reduce both crime and strengthen police-community relations. [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49]

Evidence for Police and Community-Led Violence Reduction Strategies

Over the last several decades, police agencies across the United States have invested in proactive strategies to prevent and reduce violent crime in their jurisdictions.[52] A number of research evaluations have examined the impact of these strategies on reducing violence (see McManus et al., 2020 for review). The available evidence suggests that police-led strategies designed with a focus on specific repeat places, people, and behaviors that contribute to violence can be particularly effective in reducing overall violent crime. For example, hot spot policing focuses police resources on the most crime-ridden micro-locations within a city. Substantial research demonstrates crime reductions in areas receiving additional police attention. This approach can also produce crime prevention benefits that spread to areas adjacent to the micro-locations targeted for the intervention.[53] A growing body of scholarly research has also demonstrated that focused deterrence, an offender-focused violence reduction strategy, also significantly reduces violent crime.[54] Similarly, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a DOJ-developed, offender-focused approach that emphasizes enforcement, deterrence, and prevention, has also been observed to reduce violence across communities.[55] While these and other police-led violence reduction strategies have shown significant short-term reductions in violence, long-term impact has been elusive, leading many to advocate for the increased implementation of community-led approaches.[56]

Community-led approaches to violence intervention mobilize a variety of community stakeholders and multi-disciplinary resources to address violent crime.[57][58][59] The role of the police in community-led strategies varies widely, with some initiatives operating independently from the police, while others have the police as one of many partners.[60][61] There are strengths and weaknesses to each of these approaches. However, many argue that collaborative partnerships between public health and public safety in addressing violence offer the greatest chance for success.[62][63][64] When compared to police-led violence reduction strategies, there is less overall evidence for the effectiveness of community-led initiatives in reducing violence. The available research suggests promising community-led violence intervention strategies, particularly when implemented with a high level of model fidelity and stakeholder collaboration is achieved. However, more research is needed before strong conclusions on the impact of community-led violence reduction interventions can be made.[65]

Council Recommendations ▸

Recommendation 14

Improve Community-Driven Violence Prevention Programs

Community-driven violence prevention and intervention strategies must be developed to supplement policing efforts. These should be data-driven, tailored to neighborhood needs, and focused on at-risk individuals. Community-based violence prevention programs should be evaluated for a variety of performance metrics, including changes in community perceptions (such as fear of crime and police-community relations) and disproportionate impacts on racial and ethnic minorities.

Recommendation 15

Violence Prevention Strategies Must Include Resources and Services

Whether operated by law enforcement or community-based programs, violence prevention strategies must provide resources and services to deter at-risk individuals from crime. Communities should be involved in developing strategies and programs, such as focused deterrence, which connects offenders with social, community, and economic resources and sources necessary for deterance, while still ensuring offender accountability.

Recommendation 16

Support Community Programs and Research Their Effectiveness

Community-led, community-based public-health approaches to reducing violence, including capacity-building, should be well supported. More research to reduce crime and the fear of crime without reliance on justice-system interventions and punitive measures is needed.

Further Research ▸

More research is needed to identify community violence prevention strategies that have the greatest impact on a range of public safety and community well-being indicators. For instance, some research has pointed to the importance of community buy-in, funding, community leadership, and adequate staffing.[50]

Community-based violence intervention programs should be assessed for long-term sustainability, particularly for multi-site programs. Factors such as variations in program fidelity, shifts in resources, incomplete buy-in, and conflicting priorities can interfere with effective implementation.[51]

Research should evaluate whether community-based violence intervention programs or hospital-based intervention programs improve racial disparities in access to services, programs, and other resources.

Citations ▸

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