Cure Violence Cure Creating a World Without Violence Cure Violence Cure 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 Change Norms. 3 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. Violent Conflicts. 1 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