1. R. Brent Decker, MPH/MSW Cure Violence University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health 2017

2. In many cities, HOMICIDE is the LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH

3. HEALTH PROBLEM & SOLUTION
Moralism
Bad people
SCIENCE
HEALTH PROBLEM & SOLUTION

4. Health Approach Violence behaves like a contagious disease (epidemic)
Treating violence like an epidemic gets results in communities

5. The Contagion of Violence

6. VIOLENCE AS A CONTAGION Population characteristics Clustering
Epidemic waves
Transmission

7. Violence Has Characteristics of Epidemics
1. Violence clusters - like a disease
2. Violence spreads - like a disease
Cholera
Violence
Influenza
Violence
3. Violence is transmitted -
through exposure, modeling,
social learning, and norms.

8. TRANSMISSION OF VIOLENCE
Exposure to
Violence
Measles leads to measles, flu leads to flu; exposure diabetes or strokes does not lead to diabetes
Violence
Source: Mullins et al. 2004; Devries et al. 2011

9. Transmission across syndromes community family spousal child suicide

10. MEANS OF TRANSMISSION VIOLENCE TRANSMISSION Observing Witnessing
Trauma

12. WE KNOW HOW TO STOP EPIDEMICS 1. Interrupting transmission
Preventing future spread
3. Changing group norms

13. STOP EPIDEMICS by:
1. Interrupting transmission

14. Identify and interrupt conflict
We train carefully selected members of the community — trusted insiders — to serve as violence interrupters and outreach workers. They anticipate where violence may occur and intervene before it erupts.
We call them interrupters.
Identify and interrupt conflict

15. Mapping High Risk Zones
Through a combination of shooting data and street knowledge, we identify “hot spots” and focus on individuals at the highest risk of being involved in a shooting.
Mapping High Risk Zones

16. Credible Messengers

17. STOP EPIDEMICS by: 1. Interrupting transmission
2. Preventing future transmission

18. qsw CHANGE BEHAVIOR of highest risk
CeaseFire outreach workers and violence interrupters work with those who are at highest risk for shooting someone or being shot. Highest-risk individuals are those who meet for of these criteria:
years old
+ Recently released from prison
+ Recent victim of a shooting
+ Major player in a street organization
+ Involved in high risk street activity (e.g. drug dealing, stick ups, gang banging)
+ History of violence or crimes against persons
+ Weapons carrier
Workers help the high risk change their thinking about how to respond to conflict, so that shooting and killing another person is no longer a normal response to settle a feud.
______________
CHANGE BEHAVIOR
of highest risk
Photograph by Ed Kashi

19. CHANGE BEHAVIOR

20. STOP EPIDEMICS by: 1. Interrupting transmission
2. Preventing future transmission
3. Changing norms

21. CHANGE NORMS
Photograph by Ed Kashi

22. CHANGE NORMS

23. CURE VIOLENCE NATIONAL ADAPTATION PARTNERS March 2015
SEATTLE
TROY
SYRACUSE
MINNEAPOLIS
ROCHESTER
MILWAUKEE
ALBANY
BUFFALO
MT VERNON
NORTH CHICAGO
YONKERS
MAYWOOD
CHICAGO
NEW YORK CITY
HEMPSTEAD
SAN FRANCISCO
ROCKFORD
CICERO
PHILADELPHIA
CAMDEN
RICHMOND
BALTIMORE
SPRINGFIELD
WILMINGTON
OAKLAND
KANSAS CITY
ST. LOUIS
EAST ST. LOUIS
DURHAM
LOS ANGELES
SAN ANTONIO
NEW ORLEANS
TALLAHASSEE
MIAMI
ADAPTATION PARTNERS
Loiza, PR
NEW ADAPTATION PARTNERS
POTENTIAL PARTNERS
POTENTIAL HEALTH APPROACH PARTNERS

24. CURE VIOLENCE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
ISRAEL/ WEST BANK
CANADA
ENGLAND
UNITED STATES
SYRIA
IRAQ
EGYPT
MEXICO
JAMAICA
GUATEMALA
PUERTO RICO
EL SALVADOR
HONDURAS
TRINIDAD
COLOMBIA
KENYA
BRAZIL
SOUTH AFRICA
ADAPTATION PARTNERS
EXPLORING PARTNERSHIPS
PAST PROGRAMS
Violence Interruption and Reduction Training – Model 101

25. INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS

26. -56% -20% arrows New York City Baltimore Killings Shootings 41% - 73%
Chicago
Shootings
and
Killings
New York City
Shootings
Baltimore
Killings
-56%
-20%
41% - 73%

27. Ciudad Juarez
Independent community surveys looking at perceptions of security found areas where program is implemented experienced:
Creation of safe spaces within the target area
Add map of cities….
Increased perceptions of security
Increased prosocial behaviors of youth
Better family cohesion
Less Conflicts
Data from FICOSEC, September 2016

28. “Cure Violence…. the approach that will come to prominence
“Cure Violence….the approach that will come to prominence.” The Economist

29. For More Information Visit: www.cureviolence.org
Thank you!
Cure Violence
@CureViolence
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