Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) Project

OJJDP's State and Community Development Awards program was established to provide grants and cooperative agreements to organizations that OJJDP has selected for funds in prior years. This program has been authorized by an Act appropriating funds for the Department of Justice. The Community-Based Violence Prevention Program provides funding for localities to support federal, state, and local partnerships to replicate proven multi-disciplinary, community-based strategies to reduce violence.

The Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) 02 program will address the displacement of violent juvenile crime occurring in the 70802 zip code through successful implementation of a Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). The program will be implemented under the guidance of the Mayor and the District Attorney and focus on violent youth offenders, ages 12-17, and their associates. BRAVE02 will achieve CBVP goals by working to increase the social cohesion of the community; develop an authentic police community relationship; coordinate the work of local service and educational providers; and implement a focused deterrence strategy to community based policing. Short term outcomes include reduction in crime and diversion of youth into productive activities. By leveraging the funded activities from the initial BRAVE program with BRAVE 02, law enforcement will be able to address the violence in both areas and minimize the displacement of violent criminal activity to other areas. A process and outcome evaluation will be conducted to measure the progress of the BRAVE02 program. CA/NCF

The Community-Based Violence Prevention Program provides funding for localities to support federal, state, and local partnerships to replicate proven multi-disciplinary, community-based strategies to reduce violence. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012, Public Law 112-55. Project BRAVE has been designed to reduce and eliminate violent crime being committed by 190 juveniles in a small criminal "hot spot" in Baton Rouge, LA. The National Network of Safe Communities' Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) model will be implemented under the auspices of the Mayor and District Attorney to target youth ages 14-17 in zip code 70805, which has a violent crime rate 25 times the national average. Project BRAVE seeks to (1) change community norms towards gang and group violence; (2) provide alternatives to criminal offending by the targeted group, and (3) alter the perception of youth regarding risks and sanctions associated with violent offending. These will be accomplished through engagement and educational activities that will increase the social cohesion of the community and forge the development of an authentic police-community partnership; coordination of social service and educational providers who will offer help to youth; and implementation of a focused deterrence approach to community based policing. Short term outcomes include increased informal social control and police effectiveness. Intermediate outcomes include reduction in crime and diverting youth into productive activities. A process and outcome evaluation will be conducted to measure the progress of Project BRAVE. CA/NCF

OJJDP's State and Community Development (Invited) Awards program was established to provide grants and cooperative agreements to organizations that OJJDP has selected for funds in prior years. Through the Community-Based Violence Prevention Program (CBVP), OJJDP funds organizations working to reduce youth gun and gang violence through evidence-based models. These programs have been authorized by an Act appropriating funds for the Department of Justice.

The City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge (City) developed the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) program to address the occurrence of violent juvenile crime occurring in the 70805 zip code in 2012 and expanded it to the 70802 zip code in 2013 through implementation of a Group Violence Reduction Strategy model. The City will continue to be the lead in this effort, undertaken in partnership with law enforcement, and community-based leaders and organizations, to reduce youth violence, promote reconciliation between the community and law enforcement, reduce the high rate of youth incarceration, and bring educational and employment opportunities to the youth of the community.

During initial preparations for the BRAVE grant proposal, approximately 30 faith-based ministries representatives pledged to support BRAVE. The City will use this supplement to expand and enhance efforts to engage the faith-based community in Baton Rouge, targeting the project zip codes of 70802 and 70805. The program intends expand the Cops and Clergy program, support faith-based community outreach, and build and strengthen relationships between the program and the faith-based community. Funds will also be used to send representatives to the OJJDP Youth Violence Prevention fall convening.

CA/NCF