The Chicago Project for Violence Prevention created a strategic plan designed to lower the homicide rate in Chicago by 50% between 1999 and 2004. The 8-point plan to combat violence is an ambitious outline implemented by the cooperative forces of residents, law enforcement, community-based organizations, clergy, and private industry. The plan calls for the creation of community coalitions, wide-spread public education campaigns, the channeling of additional resources and supervision to the most high-risk community residents, stemming the tide of illegal firearms, and ensuring prosecutions for those who are committing violent crimes.
The most active level of plan implementation is “CeaseFire.” This incorporates all community agents working in concert to respond to and ultimate stop shootings. The goal is that violence becomes unacceptable where once it was expected and tolerated. This is done in the form of the community responding en masse to shootings. In 2000 there were 75 community responses in the Chicago Project neighborhoods. In one CeaseFire zone, where a large majority of the responses took place, there was a 77% decrease in shooting.
Engaging community collaborators will be discussed. In addition, the scope of services, activities and evaluation framework undertaken by the Chicago Project will be discussed. The implementation and adaptation of similar intervention strategies will be addressed in terms of applying the principles and strategic plan to other localities. Funding, necessary infrastructure, board involvement, and the importance of evaluation will be discussed.
See www.thechicagoproject.org
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Violence Prevention, Community Collaboration
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Chicago Project for Violence Prevention
The School of Public Health
University of Illinois at Chicago
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.