DeKalb County Community-Based Violence Intervention Plan

The project service area will focus on neighborhoods of DeKalb County (DC), Georgia where violent crime - particularly gun violence, aggravated assaults, and violent interpersonal crime such as robbery and carjacking - is most prevalent.  According to DeKalb PD statistics, aggravated assaults increased 28% from 2019-2021 and the homicide rate increased 19%. Intended beneficiaries include crime victims and those who live in areas with the highest rates of violence.
Project purpose:  To develop a DC Community-Based Violence Intervention Plan (DCCV-VIP) that will combine County-wide violent crime surveillance with a focused public health-based program of violence intervention advocated by Cure Violence Global (CVG). DCCV-VIP brings together Grady Memorial Hospital (GMH), (the region's premier Level 1 trauma center) with DC Human Services and a community-based nonprofit (H.O.P.E. Hustlers, Inc.) under the umbrella of a research committee comprised of top academics from Emory and Georgia State Universities and DC outreach services. DCCV-VIP will establish a data and practitioner-based early-warning system for violence to identify at-risk populations and geographical spaces within DC for real-time tactical interventions and long-term amelioration of root cause issues.  
Primary activities:  (1) Analysis of violent crime statistics and GIS mapping performed by the research committee and DCPD to identify violent crime patterns, including gang activity.  Employ said data in partnership with DC courts and schools to identify those at risk and match to community-based intervention programs nad wrap-around services. (2) CVG will engage the community and seek buy-in from stakeholders to conduct a full evidence-based Community Violence Intervention (CVI) assessment.  (3) Conduct asset mapping driven by  DCCV-VIP analysis and the CVG assessment to determine which community programs are needed in specific communities. (4) Partner with GMH to implement the Hospital Violence Intervention Plan (HVIP) using "credible messengers" to assist victims and perpetrators of violent crime.  GMH credible messengers will partner with H.O.P.E. Hustlers to ensure service transition to communities for those identified for intervention at the hospital, thereby providing comprehensive coverage across DC.  
Expected outcomes:  (1) Development of a County (CVI) Plan. (2) Analysis of violent crime statistics to identify violence prevalence.  (3) Implementation of the HVIP to include "credible messengers". (4) Implementation  of a community-based plan targeted to schools and communities with high violent crime.  These will be accomplished with the leadership of the DCCV-VIP working group, a collaboration of universities, hospitals, schools distract, nonprofits, and courts in DC.