Choose Community Violence Intervention and Prevention

How do people learn community violence intervention and prevention?

People typically learn community violence intervention and prevention through specialized training programs, mentorship, field experience, and professional development offered by community organizations.⁴ Training often includes conflict mediation, trauma-informed care, relationship building, safety planning, case management, and violence interruption practices.⁵

Many practitioners learn by working alongside experienced outreach workers and community leaders who have established trust and credibility within their communities.⁴

How do people implement community violence intervention and prevention?

Community violence intervention and prevention is implemented through direct engagement with individuals, families, and groups facing elevated risks of violence.¹ Practitioners identify conflicts before they escalate, mediate disputes, support victims and survivors, respond after violent incidents, and connect participants with resources such as education, employment, counseling, housing assistance, and mentoring.²

Many communities also use hospital-based violence intervention programs that engage victims of violence shortly after injury and provide longer-term support to reduce reinjury and retaliation.⁶

For what types of circumstances is community violence intervention and prevention suited?

Secondary: Community violence intervention and prevention is well suited for situations in which social harm, interpersonal conflict, retaliation, or community tensions create a heightened risk of violence.

Tertiary: Community violence intervention and prevention is well suited for helping individuals, families, and communities recover from the effects of violence and work toward healing, restoration, and long-term safety.

Does community violence intervention and prevention work for preventing or controlling social harm?

Research suggests that community violence intervention programs can reduce shootings and killings when they are implemented consistently and focused on people at greatest risk.⁷ A systematic review of the Cure Violence approach found that most evaluated sites experienced reductions in shootings or killings following implementation.⁷

Research has also found that hospital-based violence intervention programs can reduce violent reinjury and improve long-term outcomes for participants.⁶ Federal agencies have increasingly recognized community violence intervention as a promising evidence-informed approach to reducing violence and strengthening community safety.¹³

Where else might I go to learn more about community violence intervention and prevention?

• National Institute of Justice
  https://nij.ojp.gov/
• Urban Institute Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support Center
  https://www.urban.org/projects/community-violence-intervention-research-and-evaluation-support
• Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI)
  https://www.thehavi.org
• Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
  https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions

Author: Olivia Levinton

Choose Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Information Sheet

Sources

1. National Institute of Justice. (n.d.). Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative. [nij.ojp.gov]
2. Urban Institute. (n.d.). Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support. The Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Research and Evaluation Technical Assistance Center. [urban.org]
3. Urban Institute. (n.d.). Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support. Violence intervention programs are designed to prevent and reduce violence by addressing root causes and providing support to those at elevated risk. [urban.org]
4. Urban Institute. (n.d.). Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support. Training and technical assistance resources for violence intervention practitioners. [urban.org]
5. Urban Institute. (n.d.). Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support. Core competencies include performance measurement, evaluation, partnership development, and implementation support. [urban.org]
6. Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI). (2026). Additional Resources: Research on Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs. Research indicates these programs can reduce violent reinjury and improve participant outcomes. [thehavi.org]
7. Ransford, C., Williams, M., & Slutkin, G.. (2025). A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of the Cure Violence Approach. Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62. The review found that many evaluated program sites experienced reductions in shootings and killings. [journals.sagepub.com]
8. National Institute of Justice. (n.d.). Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative. Federal support for evidence-based violence intervention and prevention efforts. [nij.ojp.gov]
9. Urban Institute. (n.d.). Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support. Research-practitioner partnerships supporting violence reduction and prevention. [urban.org]
10. National Institute of Justice. (n.d.). Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative. Community partnerships are central to violence intervention strategies. [nij.ojp.gov]
11. Urban Institute. (n.d.). Community Violence Intervention Research and Evaluation Support. Community violence interventions seek to reduce violence in neighborhoods through evidence-based approaches. [urban.org]
12. Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI). (2026). Additional Resources: Research on Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs. [thehavi.org]
13. National Institute of Justice. (n.d.). Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative. Recognition of community violence intervention as a promising strategy for violence reduction. [nij.ojp.gov]