Baltimore City and Prince George''s County''s Safe Streets Initiative

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.

Safe Neighborhoods, newly launched in Prince George’s County in 2013, is a replication of Cure Violence, an outreach and community mobilization initiative that works with community organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce and prevent violence. The Cure Violence model is based on five core components: community coalition building, street outreach to at-risk youth, public education, clergy involvement, and law enforcement collaboration. The initiative serves the highest risk persons --those most likely to become victims and/or perpetrators of gun violence.

Prince George’s County will use FY 15 funding to further implement the behavior change theory and to enhance engagement of faith-based partnerships in the work. In this model of multidisciplinary violence prevention, multiple messengers change behavioral norms through multiple means -- and the faith community is a critical stakeholder. Funds will also be used to send a team of representatives to the OJJDP Youth Violence Prevention fall convening.

CA/NCF