Support for Evidence-Based Violence Reduction Strategies Through the Violence Reduction Network (VRN) Initiative

Recognizing the need to help cities struggling with precipitous increases in violent crime, DOJ, through the Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance, launched the Violence Reduction Network (VRN) Initiative. The VRN provides for an innovative training and technical assistance (TTA) delivery protocol to ensure that cities are better equipped to navigate the broad range of DOJ violence-reduction resources in a collaborative and coordinated manner. The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) has partnered with BJA in implementing the VRN initiative, and in this project will continue to provide TTA to the VRN sites. The goal of this project is to develop or enhance the capability of selected VRN sites to implement data-driven, evidence-based strategies that target violence reduction. The project strategy is outcome-focused and based on IIR's experience and expertise in delivery services to the VRN sites for the past year and its experience with other national-level TTA delivery. A critical component of the project strategy is ongoing coordination and communication with BJA and other stakeholders in the VRN Initiative. NCA/NCF