DOJ Announces Community-Based Violence Prevention Demonstration Program

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced funding for the Community-Based Violence Prevention Demonstration Program. Using the Boston Gun Project, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Comprehensive Gang Model and the Chicago CeaseFire program as examples, the Violence Prevention Demonstration Program strives to help communities address violence, specifically gang and gun violence, that affects the high-risk populations within a community. The program has three main goals: 

• Change community norms regarding violence 
• Provide alternatives to violence when gangs and individuals in the community are making risky behavior decisions
• Increase awareness of the perceived risks and costs of involvement in violence among high-risk young people 

This program will help communities engage local leaders, law enforcement and community stakeholders in developing the capacity needed to implement an evidence-based program that reduces and prevents violence, particularly gang and gun violence. The implemented program should improve the coordination of existing resources that support anti-violence strategies and should target a carefully selected population within the community that is likely to be involved in violent activities.

The Department of Justice has created two resources that communities may find useful in locating evidence-based prevention programs. 

• CrimeSolutions.gov: Created by the Office of Justice Programs, this website provides information about violence and crime prevention programs that have been the subject of research and review. A color-coded rating system is used to identify programs that have been labels Effective, Promising or Not Effective. 
• Model Program Guide: Created by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Model Program Guide contains a database of over 200 evidence-based programs that cover a continuum of youth services from prevention through youth reentry. 

Eligible applicants include state, county and city/township governments whose communities have experienced significant crime and violence affecting youth. DOJ expects to fund six awards, with funding ranging from $250,000 to $1,500,000. For more information about the program, as well as detailed information about the application process, please click here.  Applications are due May 1st.