Community-Based Gun Violence Intervention

Proposal Abstract: Community-Based Gun Violence Intervention

Gun violence has grown at an alarming rate in Oregon, with increases in firearm deaths, firearm injuries, and shootings. There is a systemic failure to proactively connect individuals to relevant community-based services prior to justice system involvement. The proposed project will invest resources in a position in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office (MCDA) that connects people to services to intervene in circumstances associated with gun violence. The Service Navigator will identify and engage community partners to offer trauma-informed, culturally-responsive, developmentally-targeted services for those involved in the justice system, with a focus on young Black men and women who commit gun-related crimes. The goals of the project are to prevent the escalation of serious gun crimes through probation and treatment in lieu of prison or jail. Increased gun violence impacts the capacity of the criminal justice system to effectively respond, highlighting the need for the position outlined in this application to effectively plan, manage and allocate resources. Resources identified may also be used to assist victims of crime, including survivors and witnesses. The project service area is the entire County of Multnomah.

The Service Navigator will research existing programs, services and processes for integrated and coordinated care; identify and engage community partners; and develop referral plans for defendants to community-based resources. The Service Navigator will fulfill the following roles and responsibilities: 1) service coordination; 2) outreach and engagement; 3) internal and external stakeholder collaboration; 4) data collection; and 5) process and procedure development. MCDA anticipates that the first year of the program will focus on program and systems development.  In year two, the Service Navigator will focus on individual referral plans and outcomes for those referred.

Expected outcomes include 1) new policies and procedures related to service coordination; 2) six defendants per month referred to community-based treatment and other services in lieu of prison or jail; 3) culturally-appropriate program referrals for Black defendants and victims; 4) creation of partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders; and 5) analyzing recidivism of participants or other measures of success.