Violence prevention and intervention programs have expanded rapidly across the country thanks to support from the Biden-Harris administration. This past June, the U.S. Surgeon General issued its first advisory recognizing gun violence as a public health crisis and acknowledging community violence intervention (CVI) programs as a vital part of the public health approach to interrupting violence. But without increased federal, state and local investments, these lifesaving programs are destined to shrink or even disappear.
“CVI” is a new term, but cities have relied on the street outreach of credible messengers to interrupt escalating tensions and prevent retaliation for generations. These frontline public safety workers’ deep community ties enable them to reach people law enforcement cannot.
The above excerpt was originally published in Governing.
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