The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60616

Cody D. Stephens, MA¹, Norman L. Kerr², James Kenady, Rev³, Tio Hardiman¹, Elena D. Quintana, PhD⁴, Gary Slutkin, MD¹, Tim Metzger, MUPP¹, and Michael Schoeny, PhD⁵. (1) University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago Project for Violence Prevention/CeaseFire, 1603 W. Taylor, Chicago, IL 60612, 312/996-8765, codys@uic.edu, (2) University of Illinios at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago Project for Violence Prevention/CeaseFire, 1603 W. Taylor, Chicago, IL 60612, (3) University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago Project for Violence Prevention/ CeaseFire, 1603 W. Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612, (4) University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago Project for Violence Prevention, 2121 West Taylor (M/C 922), Chicago, IL 60612, (5) Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60607

In 1999, 70 Chicago faith leaders led by Francis Cardinal George founded the Religious Leadership Taskforce (“Taskforce”) in collaboration with the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention to bolster faith leaders’ participation in it’s CeaseFire anti-violence activities. The Taskforce generated the “Covenant for Peace in Action”, which works toward the goal of “No more shooting”. Signatories agree to work to reduce killings, not only by preaching and praying for peace, but by exhorting their congregations to participate in activities such as providing outreach, responding to shootings, conducting night marches, and offering safe havens. The Taskforce works with the multi-pronged neighborhood-based CeaseFire program which employs outreach workers, uses public education methods, and trains members thrice yearly to provide gang-mediation, safe havens, and shooting responses. Currently, 36 of 140 total Taskforce members are considered “highly active” in responding to violence, setting up safe havens, community hotlines, and providing outreach. A study was done comparing signatories and non-signatories matched by neighborhood and denomination. Questions were posed to 55 signatories, and 83 non-signatories; including house of worship’s commitment to violence prevention, anti-violence activities performed, and frequency of activities. Signatories of the Covenant were significantly more likely than non-signatories to offer nine services including responses to violence with marches or vigils (80% vs. 31%*) , provide gang mediation (33% vs. 17%*), safe haven (89% vs. 62%**), and job referrals (89% vs. 70%**). Preliminary analysis suggests that collaboration enhances faith leaders anti-violence focus, and specific commitment to anti-violence activities.

(*p<.01) (**p<.05)

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe specific ways in which the religious community can actively participate in violence prevention.
• 2. Clarify the importance of clergy making a structured commitment to communities, including the way in which this is executed with the use of the Covenant for Peace in Action.

Related Web page: www.ceasefirechicago.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Work for organization