Employing credible messengers to perform street outreach in order to interrupt escalating tensions and to spread antiviolence messages started in the 1950s and 1960s with youth and street gang outreach programs in major cities across the country. Under the new name of community violence intervention (CVI), programs employing front-line workers with lived experiences and hyperlocal community knowledge are gaining national attention due to emerging evidence that they are some of the most effective strategies for preventing community violence.
Credible messengers are able to reach individuals at the highest risk of being involved in violence and to operate in places that police and other public safety workers generally cannot. However, CVI programs go beyond street outreach to prevent gun violence by working alongside case managers and other social service professionals to connect participants with essential social services such as housing and healing resources.
While each CVI program will look different based on the unique needs of the community it serves, programs commonly credit their success to taking an individualized approach to transforming communities. CVI programs focus support on a small group of violence-affected community members and connect them with resources and services that can change their lives. When properly implemented and sustained, CVI programs have reduced shootings by as much as 60 percent, making the programs an essential partner in a wider public safety ecosystem.
Cities investing in CVI programs are already seeing results. Through the first quarter of 2024, U.S. cities that have committed to CVI programs are experiencing some of the largest declines in gun homicide and gun victimization rates. However, despite this evidence, CVI programs are still broadly underfunded, jeopardizing their long-term effectiveness and sustainability. Greater coordination and investments are needed from local, state, and federal agencies to implement, evaluate, and sustain CVI programs to make communities safer for the next generation and beyond.