Violence Prevention Researchers Release Toolkit Aimed at Establishing Violence Reduction Councils in Local Communities to Save Lives

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have developed a new toolkit to guide community efforts for violence prevention. The toolkit, developed by experts at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, provides a framework for cities to establish violence reduction councils—an interdisciplinary, data-driven public health approach aimed at proactively preventing a cross-section of violence rather than responding to it. 

Violence reduction councils bring together a diverse set of stakeholders, including representatives from criminal justice, public health, social service agencies, and community-based organizations involved in violence prevention. These groups meet regularly to exchange information regarding homicides, assaults, and other violent crime case information, and develop preventative solutions unique to the community. The concept stems from long-standing public health and criminal justice research and practice. 

The toolkit, “Violence Reduction Councils: A Community Approach to Saving Lives,” provides a step-by-step guide on how communities can structure councils, leverage data, and develop information-sharing practices. The recommendations for participating public and private agencies aim to build trust and accountability while developing solutions to violence across sectors. 

“Violence reduction councils are often an overlooked and underutilized strategy, but they are extremely effective in addressing root causes of violence,” says Mallory O’Brien, PhD, MS, associate scientist at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School and co-lead on the project. “Many cities have the infrastructure in place that can be leveraged, but they lack the clear guidance and accountability to be effective. This toolkit provides that support.” 

The first violence reduction council, established in 2005 in Milwaukee, and known as the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, reduced homicides in the city by half (52 percent) in its first two years, from 2005 to 2007, in areas of the city that implemented councils. Since then, these types of councils have been established in approximately 20 U.S. cities, including Washington D.C.; Portland, Oregon; and Cleveland, Ohio. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced $100 million in funding to support community violence intervention programs, including violence reduction councils, around the U.S. 

Violence, especially homicides and assaults, is a public health crisis. Homicides are the second leading cause of death for people under age 30, surpassing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease combined. Black Americans are also significantly impacted by homicides and are more than 14 times more likely to die by homicide than white Americans. 

When a violent incident occurs, members of the violence reduction council seek to understand the complexities of the specific case, including information about the victim, offender, and context about the incident. Using case-by-case information shared in routine reviews, the council members aggregate data to monitor trends in violent crime, identify gaps in policy and practice, and address barriers to violence prevention in the community. By conducting a series of case reviews, jurisdictions begin to identify patterns and areas of opportunity. The group proposes recommendations based on trends identified in case review processes to enhance violence prevention infrastructure in the city. 

In addition to the step-by-step guidance, the researchers also recommend several components of an effective violence reduction council, underscoring the importance of multi-sector collaboration and accountability. These components include:

• Support from city leaders including the mayor, chief of police, health commissioner, and the district attorney. 
• A director and staff for the council who are responsible for engaging relevant partners, leading review meetings, and advancing recommendations.
• A neutral lead agency, such as local health department, that oversees and provides administrative support for the violence reduction council. 
• An executive committee of community leaders, such as the mayor, police chief, or health commissioner, that is committed to advancing the recommendations developed by the violence reduction council.

A violence reduction council is made up of two teams that meet routinely to review homicide and assault cases. The criminal justice review team, composed of criminal justice stakeholders such as corrections officials, medical examiners, and law enforcement representatives, reviews sensitive information about the suspect, victim, and the environment where the incident occurred. 

The community service provider review team includes representatives from the public health department, social service agencies, community-based organizations, and public safety groups, who discuss closed cases to better understand factors that contributed to violent incidents. They consider information about services utilized by both the victim and the perpetrator, resources available in the city, and missed opportunities to prevent the violent incident. 

These two review teams are supported by a working group and governed by an executive leadership team responsible for implementing and providing resources for recommendations to prevent violence.  

“The key to success is ongoing, confidential data sharing,” says Cassandra Crifasi, PhD, MPH, co-director of the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School and co-lead on the project. “The response is data-driven, and violence reduction councils are constantly monitoring problems to better understand causes, identify solutions, and ensure long-term community buy-in.” 

“Violence Reduction Councils: A Community Approach to Saving Lives” was written by Mallory O’Brien, Ari Davis, and Cassandra Crifasi. 

Support for the project was provided by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. 

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Media contacts: Caitlin Hoffman choffman [at] jhu.edu (choffman[at]jhu[dot]edu) and Su Tellakat stellak1 [at] jh.edu (stellak1[at]jh[dot]edu)