CureViolence

Violence

World Without Without World Creating a Creating Cure Violence

Cure Violence is ranked 9th in NGO Advisor's 2019 report on the top 500 NGOs in the world, and 1st among NGOs devoted to preventing violence.

2 GOOD NEWS ABOUT VIOLENCE

Violence is a contagious disease that can be prevented and, ultimately, cured.

o say that violence spreads like a Cure Violence has progressed from an disease is not a metaphor—it is innovative community violence preven- T what the science now shows. Vio- tion model to become the nationally and lence meets the dictionary definition of internationally recognized expert on a disease, and hundreds of studies now the health-based approach to violence confirm that violence is contagious. This prevention. Cure Violence is now ranked is very good news. 9th in NGO Advisor’s 2019 report on the Top 500 NGOs in the world, and ranked It is good news because we have highly 1st among non-governmental organiza- effective and time-tested public health tions focused on preventing violence. methods used worldwide to stop the spread of contagious diseases. We are The violence problem is not simple and now beginning to apply these methods many factors come into play—power, to end epidemics of violence throughout race, gender, class, religion, politics, and the world. grievances. These factors are important, but only by seeing and treating violence For nearly 20 years, Cure Violence has as a contagious epidemic process can we worked with local partners to success- immediately and reliably stop its spread fully reduce violence in some of the and reverse its course—thereby saving most violent communities in the United lives and making our communities safe. States and around the world by employ- ing these epidemic control and behavior change methods.

1 THE CURE VIOLENCE MODEL

The model uses proven public health methods to stop the spread of violence.

he Cure Violence model is based on Identify and Treat Individuals the World Health Organization’s 2at the Highest Risk. T approach to reversing the epidemic Outreach workers work with those at the spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, highest risk to make them less likely to tuberculosis, and cholera. The model applies commit violence by talking in their terms, these same three proven strategies to stop discussing the costs of using violence, and violence. Trained, culturally appropriate helping them to obtain the support and workers interrupt the transmission of social services (e.g., education, job training, violence, prevent its future spread, and drug treatment) towards long term behavior transform community norms. change and changes in life course. The model has been successfully replicated Mobilize the Community to in diverse settings, proving its effectiveness 3Change Norms. across a variety of communities, cultures, Workers engage community leaders, local and ethnicities. business owners, residents, faith leaders, and particularly individuals at high risk, Three Strategies to shift the message and expectations and Detect and Interrupt Potentially norms for the long term. 1Violent Conflicts. Violence interrupters are a new category Credible Workers of health workers who prevent violence by Public health outreach regularly employs identifying and mediating potentially lethal workers who share the same background and conflicts in the community and following up come from the same neighborhood as those to ensure conflict does not reignite. who need to be reached—in this case those most at risk for violence. Cure Violence hires and trains violence interrupters and outreach workers who already have the trust of community members and are able to The Cure influence and change behavior. Stop Violence Interrupt violent events Theory of transmission before they Change happen

Identify and change the Reduce number Reduced thinking of highest of violent violence potential individuals transmitters

Change Create community social pressure to norms stop violence

2 THE SCIENCE

Like an epidemic disease, violence clusters and spreads within geographic areas.

ecent advances in neuroscience, concluded that the brain processes violent behavior science, and epidemiology input—observing violence or experiencing R now shape our understanding of how trauma from violence—just asthe lung pro- violence spreads and how people exposed to cesses tuberculosis to produce more tuber- it process their experiences and then behave culosis, or the intestines process cholera to toward others. produce more cholera. The brain processes violence to produce more violence, just like Behavior Is Contagious an infectious disease. We know that people acquire behaviors through imitation, which is a process that The Effects The brain processes scientists and educators sometimes call For some people, violence-related trauma violence by producing “social learning.” We also know that results in hyper reactivity that causes them more violence, just like individuals adopt violent behavior through to respond more aggressively to slight an infectious disease. unconscious modeling of what they’ve provocation, leading to rapid escalation of observed and experienced. In other words, conflicts. For others, exposure to violence behaviors—including violence—transmit can lead to rage and an uncontrollable desire from one person to other individuals and for revenge. groups. The physiological effects from both Violence can also “transmute,” which means witnessing violence and the associated exposure to one kind of violence increases trauma accelerate the contagious nature not only the likelihood an individual will of the behavior. engage in that form of violence, but other The 2012 Forum on Violence Prevention types as well. For example, exposure to com- sponsored by the National Academy of munity violence has been shown to increase Sciences’ Institute of Medicine reviewed one’s risk of perpetuating domestic violence, dozens of studies on violence from various and exposure to war violence increases an scientific disciplines. Forum participants individual’s risk of engaging in community violence.

3 THE IMPACT

Multiple independent evaluations have proven the Cure Violence model to be effective.

esearch conducted by Johns Hopkins Beyond reducing violence at both com- University, University of Chicago, munity and individual levels, studies also R Northwestern University, the John Jay show that the model helps people in neigh- College of Criminal Justice, and others—and borhoods get assistance with education, supported by the CDC, U.S. Department of employment, parenting, and other issues Justice, and Robert Wood Johnson Founda- that profoundly affect their lives. tion, among others—has shown large, sta- tistically significant reductions in violence where the Cure Violence model is applied.

large reductions in violence achieved in targeted hotspots in cities where the cure violence model was implemented UNITED STATES Baltimore Up to 44% fewer shootings Up to 56% fewer killings >1 year with no shootings or killings in three communities Chicago 41% – 73% fewer shootings and killings 100% reduction in retaliatory killings 48% fewer shootings during rapid reduction pilot program Loiza 50% decrease in killings in first year of implementation; (Puerto Rico) maintained for two years

New York Up to 63% fewer shootings >1 year with no shootings or killings in multiple communities Improved police/community relations INTERNATIONAL Honduras 73% – 85% decrease in shootings and killings (San Pedro Sula)

Mexico >50% reduction in killings in 2016 (Cuidad Juarez) Reduction in perceived number of disputes and conflicts

South Africa 53% fewer shootings (Cape Town) 31% fewer killings

Trinidad 45% reduction in violent crime (Port of Spain) 23% reduction in calls to police

United Kingdom 95% reduction in group attacks (Youth Prison 51% reduction in overall violence Program)

4 EXPERT TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

Cure Violence helps cities reduce shootings and killings in violence-torn neighborhoods.

ny community that has a problem responders—trusted community members with violence should consider with similar backgrounds to trauma A implementing the Cure Violence victims—on a 24/7 basis when a gunshot, model. The Expert Training and Technical stabbing, or blunt trauma victim arrives. Assistance Center staff works with local These trained responders intervene during implementation partners to replicate or the critical time period after a violent adapt the approach in their cities. By training incident to prevent retaliation and interrupt and deploying their own credible violence the cycle of violence. interrupters and outreach workers, target communities are able to reduce the numbers School-Based Program of shootings and killings in violence-torn Conflicts among neighborhood factions— neighborhoods. often those concerning basic respect, turf, and identity issues—can spill over into a In-depth training and technical assistance high school setting. Implementation part- (TTA) is also available to implementation ners can adapt the Cure Violence model to partners for a variety of program adapta- create on-site school programs where cred- Taken as a whole, tions and enhancements, including citywide ible workers work with high-risk students these offerings scaling, hospital response programs, school- to mediate conflicts that might otherwise constitute a based programs, and other consulting. turn violent and improve school attendance. comprehensive, Taken as a whole, these offerings constitute In one school, more than 90% of conflict health-based, a comprehensive, health-based, violence mediations were successful at preventing violence prevention prevention and response system that allows violent incidents. and response system cities to address their local priorities. that allows cities to Emergency Response/Rapid Reduction address their local Citywide Scaling Cure Violence successfully piloted an priorities. An implementation partner typically applies emergency response/rapid reduction model the Cure Violence model in a limited number designed to curb violence in areas experienc- of a city’s “hotspots”—the areas with the ing sharp spikes in shootings and killings. highest rates of shootings and killings. When this model was deployed in Chicago’s TTA staff can assess a current partner’s most violent police district during what is capacity to bring the model to 75% - 80% of typically the most violent month, the num- the hotspots and help secure political and ber of shootings decreased by 48% over a financial support by engaging key constitu- five-week period. This model is of particular encies through return-on-investment pro- interest to implementation partners in cities jections and business case presentations. with significant upticks due to civil unrest and other causes. Hospital Response Program Implementation partners can receive TTA to replicate the Cure Violence Hospital Response Program, which creates formal partnerships with area hospital trauma centers. This program deploys hospital

5 IMPACT IN MULTIPLE WORLD REGIONS

Cities around the world have turned to the Cure Violence health approach to prevent violence.

he Cure Violence health approach has Middle East/North Africa been implemented across 5 conti- iraq— From 2008 to 2013, over 14,000 T nents and 15 countries. Cure Violence individuals were reached through outreach provides a high-impact method to reduce vi- and more than 65 violence interrupters were olence, paving the way for increased invest- trained in Basrah and two sites in Sadr City, ment and prosperity. The highly adaptable resulting in close to 1,000 interruptions. approach works with local partners to take west bank—In 2016-17, 25 community ac- into consideration the very particular local tivists were trained and implemented proj- context at play in each community. ects in 4 communities—Bethlehem, Hebron, Latin America/Caribbean Jerusalem, and Nablus/Jenin—resulting in honduras—Local partners implement- dozens of documented interruptions in ref- Given Cure Violence's ed an adaptation beginning April 2013 and ugee camps and schools and reaching scores successes and unique currently have a staff of 10 interrupters who of others through additional trainings. vantage point, a wide have interrupted over 1,000 potentially syria—In 2013, over 130 Syrians were range of institutions lethal conflicts. Site data shows an 88% trained in the health approach, mediation, have approached the reduction in shootings and killings. behavior change, community mapping and organization to adapt mexico—Local partner in Juarez began in violence detection. In 2017, Cure Violence its model to prevent 2014 with 30 interrupters funded by a public/ assembled an international advisory team violence in new regions private partnership. Sites had reductions in of experts and people with close ties to key of the world. killings in 2015 and 2016, most sites having stakeholders to work on reducing violence. reductions of 50% or more. Program in Chi- morocco—In 2016-17, Cure Violence huahua began in 2017. provided three trainings for a reintegration trinidad—Local partners began imple- program to try to prevent radicalizaion and mentation in 2015 in Laventille area of Port foreign fighter recruitment. of Spain. Independent evaluation being conducted, with inital analysis showing a Other Regions 67% reduction in woundings. nigeria— In 2015, Cure Violence provided public health training for high risk groups. el salvador— In partnership with Save the Children and USAID, Cure Violence is kenya—In March 2013, Cure Violence part- providing training and technical assistance nered with Sisi Ni Amani-Kenya, PopTech, to 20 workers across multiple communities. Medic Mobile, and Praekelt Foundation to successfully prevent violence during and puerto rico—Local partner Acuerdo de after elections. Paz began implementation in March 2012 in three target areas in Loiza. An independent south africa—Local partner VPUU began evaluation found a 50% reduction in killings implementation in Cape Town in January in 2012 that was maintained in 2013. 2013. To date, staff have mediated more than colombia—Local partner Fundacion Al- 1,000 conflicts and 30 group interventions. varalice began implemention in Cali in 2017. An independent evaluation found a reduc- Cure Violence has conducted assessment tion of 53% in shootings and 31% in killings visits in Barranquilla and Medellin, and is in 2014. involved in discussions on the post-conflict peace process. 6 MOVEMENT TOWARD A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS

Cure Violence is spearheading a social movement to change society’s approach to violence.

significant barrier stands in the way • Promote policies that facilitate health of adopting a public health approach sector solutions to reduce violence and A to violence on a broad scale—the inequity prevailing belief that violence is committed • Guide communities and the health by “bad people,”—a moralistic lens that is sector in practices that drastically reduce prone to biases and reliant on law enforce- violence and inequity ment and the criminal justice system for solutions. This view predates the scientific National Health and Community understanding of violence as a health prob- Collaborative on Violence Prevention lem of exposure and contagion, and evidence Cure Violence is co-leading the National that health methods such as interruption Health and Community Collaborative on and behavior change are effective at stem- Violence Prevention, a coalition of more Cure Violence ming its spread and reversing its course. than 400 leaders from health and related believes violence is sectors drawn from the most violent cities in a health issue and Fundamental Shift the United States. These leaders are leverag- that the health The movement aims to make a fundamental ing evidence-based approaches to violence sector has the most shift in the way our nation sees and deals prevention to save lives and create a frame- powerful solutions. with violence. The goals are to: work that can be implemented nationwide in impactful, sustainable, and equitable ways. • Train and activate health leaders as spokespeople on violence Partners in the collaborative include the • Design a comprehensive health system Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for reducing violence and related social public health departments in major cities, factors in health leading universities, national health associ- • Amplify language that promotes the ations, renowned foundations, and a myriad understanding of violence and inequity of nonprofit organizations. The collabora- as health issues tive is also forming important relationships with criminal justice reform advocates, racial equity movements, law enforcement, city planners, and philanthropic benefactors whose goals align with the collaborative’s mission.

VOCABULARY Old View Health View Bad people Learned behavior Enemies Negative norms "Senseless" acts Contagious process Punishment Interruption and behavior change Intractable Solvable War Epidemic

7 YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

You can be part of the cure.

ure Violence is making a meaningful To expand the use of health-based violence difference right now—working with prevention and transform how society views Clocal partners to reduce shootings and treats the violence epidemic, concerned and killings and change norms in scores of citizens, health professionals, and busi- neighborhoods at home, across the United ness and civic leaders can work together States, and on five continents. and invest in the vision of a world without violence. However, there is so much more work to be done, particularly in light of ongoing and With your involvement, ideas, and contribu- emerging challenges—from violence in our tions we can save more lives and make our communities to racial tensions, from mass communities at home and around the world shootings to conflict zones. safer. Together, we can make the vision of a world without violence a reality.

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8 Cure Violence Cure Violence Around the World* 15 Countries United States 25 Cities Canada 100 Neighorhoods United Kingdom** Mexico Honduras El Salvador Trinidad Colombia Argentina Morocco Kenya** South Africa West Bank Iraq**

Syria

*As of April 2018 **Former sites

9 CureViolence

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West Monroe Street Monroe West CURE VIOLENCE VIOLENCE CURE GLOBAL Violence is contagious. Be part of the Cure! twitter.com/CureViolence facebook.com/CureViolence Suite #1025 Suite Illinois Chicago, 312-756-8632 www.cvg.org 227