Community Violence Intervention (CVI) is an approach that uses evidence-informed strategies to reduce violence through community-centered initiatives. Community violence affects millions of people, families, schools, and communities every year, causing significant physical injuries, trauma, economic impact, and mental health conditions. JOCO CVI establishes relationships between individuals and the community to provide support that saves lives, addresses trauma, provides opportunity, and improves the physical, social, and economic conditions that drive community violence within Johnson County and surrounding areas.

Strategies

Outreach

Credible members of the community are trained to interrupt cycles of retaliatory violence, help connect high-risk individuals to social services, and change norms around using guns to resolve conflict. Similarly, credible messengers engage gun violence victims to discourage retaliation and connect them with resources and services that can potentially reduce risks for future violence.

Focused Deterrence

Also referred to as community or group violence intervention, this strategy creates a balanced partnership between law enforcement and community partners to identify violent offenders and prevent them from engaging in future violence. Law enforcement advises these individuals of impending swift and certain legal action if violence continues. Community partners simultaneously offer social services and support to change risky behavior.

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions and Support

Prevention strategies that promote healthy families, improve early education, provide skill-building opportunities, connect youth to supportive adults, and improve community environments have long been recognized as key to combating youth violence in the long term. However, a comprehensive approach also requires programs to intervene in breaking the cycle of violence by meeting the needs of at-risk youth and adults and helping them change their lives.

These programs focus on changing the life trajectory of an individual impacted by gun violence. Community partners and law enforcement identify participants highly impacted by violence and provide cognitive behavioral interventions paired with social services, such as job placement, education, emotional and mental support/counseling, substance abuse treatment, job skill training, food insecurities, housing, and sometimes financial incentives to support them. Wrap around care is specific to each individual/family needs.

Changing Environmental Risk Factors

Beyond work to engage individuals at risk for violence, research shows that focusing on environmental factors which contribute to violence, such as large numbers of vacant buildings and lots, a high density of alcohol outlets, and inadequate street lighting, can reduce gun violence in a community.  
CVI programs take a combination of the following approaches:

• Engage and offer support directly to individuals most likely to engage in, or be victims of gun violence.
• Employ trusted and respected members of the community to work directly with youth who may be skeptical of government or law enforcement.
• Provide school-based services to ensure participants reach their educational goals.
• Provide workforce development, job training, and employment opportunities.
• Increase access to recreation and community centers, parks, and other prosocial development opportunities.
• Improve relationships between participants and their families, friends, and larger communities.
• Prioritize community needs by engaging participants, community partners, and residents in efforts to improve their neighborhoods through beautification efforts, addressing abandoned property, and more.

"As a lifelong resident, I am invested in keeping our community safe, but also finding ways to get individuals on the path of success and out of the life of violence. Relationship building, collaboration, and support are critical components of Community Violence Intervention programs. Ultimately, the mission of JOCO CVI is to keep people safe, alive, and free so they can go forward and live a safe and fulfilling life."

 Jessica Lang, Community Violence Prevention Coordinator