Living without gun violence, and the trauma and harm that accompanies it. An important human rights issue of our time. Community violence has long challenged America’s promise of safety, stability, and opportunity—particularly in historically marginalized neighborhoods. Today, Community Violence Intervention (CVI) efforts offer a real, proven pathway to break cycles of violence, restore hope, and build healthier communities. Yet despite growing evidence of CVI’s effectiveness, these lifesavings and changing efforts remain precariously funded, inconsistently prioritized, and too often treated as “temporary” solutions rather than essential public safety infrastructure.
CVI must become a permanent fixture of public safety ecosystems across the country where retaliatory gun violence has historically reigned. CVI shouldn’t only matter to communities most impacted by violence—but must also matter to the American taxpayer, to the future of policing, and to the moral promise of our nation.
Across cities like Richmond and Fresno California, Ft. Worth Texas, Lansing Michigan, Rochester New York, and Orlando Florida, CVI has demonstrated that community-centered efforts can help significantly reduce shootings and homicides. Unlike enforcement-only models, CVI addresses the root causes of violence by reaching those at the center of violence—saving lives before violence happens. Studies have shown that properly resourced CVI efforts can lead to 30-60+ percent reductions in gun violence in many jurisdictions. In a country seeking smarter public safety solutions, CVI delivers optimal results.
Violence is not just a tragedy for families; it’s an economic crisis for cities, counties, and states. Every homicide costs taxpayers between $900,000 and $2.5 million in direct public costs—from emergency response, court proceedings, incarceration, and more. In contrast, investments in CVI are a fraction of that—and generate tremendous public savings. Simply put: CVI is not just morally right, it’s fiscally smart.
Law enforcement plays a critical role in public safety—but even police leaders acknowledge that police alone cannot prevent violence. CVI efforts complement policing by preventing crimes before officers are called to the scene. This delicately managed partnership reduces the burden on law enforcement, improves officer safety, and builds much-needed trust between police and communities.
CVI is not and cannot be about “outsiders” fixing impacted communities. CVI trains, develops, and empowers community members themselves—these recycled assets, credible messengers, survivors, and formerly justice-involved individuals—to lead violence reduction efforts. CVI restores agency, dignity, and leadership to communities too often excluded from public safety planning.
Too many times, in history, we’ve seen progress in violence reduction erased when temporary funding dries up. If CVI remains treated as an “initiative” or “nice program” rather than a core part of public safety ecosystems—embedded in local and county budgets, supported by strong policy, and continuously improved through research and evaluation—we risk backsliding into cycles of preventable loss.
Community Violence Intervention is a permanent public safety solution—it’s necessary in our most impacted communities, for taxpayers, and for our nation’s future.