Much is known about how to effectively reduce violent crime, but that knowledge remains incomplete. To complement investments in established, evidence-based strategies, leaders should experiment with and evaluate innovative strategies to reduce violence in their jurisdictions.
Department of Justice (DOJ) resources can support the development and evaluation of new approaches to violence reduction. Key resources are identified below, followed by links to additional resources.
Resources
Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Implementation Checklist
Developed with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the CVI Implementation Checklist captures background information about CVI efforts, CVI guiding principles, and details on specific steps to take when implementing CVI programs.
Field Initiated: Encouraging Innovation
This program supports new and innovative strategies for preventing and reducing crime, improving community safety, and strengthening criminal justice system outcomes. Funding through this program seeks to accomplish this by promoting collaborations with the field to identify, define, and respond to emerging or chronic crime problems or justice system challenges. In particular, this funding can support work that builds trust, responds to precipitous increases in crime, and tracks and responds to violent crime.
Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP)
Byrne SCIP provides training and technical assistance and funding to support implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives, such as extreme risk protection order programs.
Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI)
CVIPI provides funding to support evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs. CVIPI may also support innovative approaches that are novel in components or configuration, but still draw on sources of evidence to inform the design of the intervention in a way that is tailored to needs and resources of the local community.
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program
JAG is a formula award administered to each state and territory, based on their population and violent crime. The award is divided between state (60%) and direct to local (40%) units of government. JAG funding is administered by a state agency. JAG funds are extremely flexible in ways they can support violent crime reduction. Localities should contact their State Administering Agency or the National Criminal Justice Association.
National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention
The mission of the Youth Violence Prevention Centers (YVPCs) is to research and prevent youth violence. YVPCs identify and test innovative violence prevention approaches. YVPCs also strengthen the use of effective prevention strategies in communities.
Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education Program (TGIY)
The purpose of the TGIY Program is to provide a funding opportunity for organizations that work directly with gang-involved youth to help such youth pursue higher education opportunities that will lead to certification or credentials.
Violence Prevention: Funded Research, Programs, and Opportunities
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Violence Prevention funds research, programs, and opportunities geared toward preventing violence.
BJA National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC)
BJA NTTAC connects justice agencies with national experts to help reduce violent and drug-related crime. A specific Violence Reduction Response Center connects localities with resources to help identify appropriate goals. Jurisdictions interested in implementing strategies outlined in the Roadmap may also contact NTTAC to request TTA from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). In collaboration with BJA and a cadre of subject matter experts, PERF will coordinate no-cost TTA services designed to enhance jurisdictions’ capacity to reduce community gun violence and promote community trust.
Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP)
Byrne SCIP provides training and technical assistance and funding to support implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives, such as extreme risk protection order programs.
National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention
The mission of the Youth Violence Prevention Centers (YVPCs) is to research and prevent youth violence. YVPCs identify and test innovative violence prevention approaches. YVPCs also strengthen the use of effective prevention strategies in communities.
National Public Safety Partnership
The National Public Safety Partnership is a network of communities who have committed to implementing evidence-informed approaches to reducing violence and enhancing public safety. It is a DOJ-wide program that connects communities with peers and experts to receive coordinated training and technical assistance. Many of these resources are for grantees, but there are many more resources, through the National Public Safety Partnership Clearinghouse, available to all. These resources include guides and toolkits on innovative responses to preventing and intervening in violence.
VetoViolence Tools & Trainings
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention center provides training and resources to strengthen the violence prevention toolkit of educators, policy makers, and public health professionals.
BJA Violent Crime Reduction Summit Resource Center
Resources from the BJA Violent Crime Reduction Summit are designed to offer insights and tools to jurisdictions in addressing violent crime that impacts their communities.
Cardiff Violence Prevention Model Toolkit
The Cardiff Violence Prevention Model provides a way for communities to gain a clearer picture about where violence is occurring by combining and mapping both hospital and police data on violence. It also provides a framework for hospitals, law enforcement agencies, public health agencies, community groups, and others interested in violence prevention to work together and develop collaborative violence prevention strategies.
This resource was developed to help communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent youth violence. This resource is available in English and Spanish and can impact individual behaviors and the relationship, family, school, community, and societal factors that influence the risk and protective factors for violence.
VetoViolence Tools & Trainings
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention center provides training and resources to strengthen the violence prevention toolkit of educators, policy makers, and public health professionals.
Violent Crime Reduction Operations Guide (PDF, 5.2 MB)
This BJA-sponsored, practitioner-focused guide outlines actions and activities that have contributed to successful crime-fighting strategies throughout the country. This guide complements existing conversations and offers a unique “for the field, by the field” perspective that combines best practices and research to assist law enforcement executives in assessing capacity and strategic planning.