Urban safety, community healing & gun violence reduction: the advance peace model

Jason Corburn,Khaalid Muttaqi,Devone Boggan

doi:10.1186/s42854-021-00021-5

Jason Corburn, Khaalid Muttaqi + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42854-021-00021-5

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Abstract

Cities around the world continue to grapple with safety, security and the role for law enforcement in reducing gun crime. Recent calls for alternatives to militarized policing in cities and addressing racism in urban crime policies and practices gives new urgency to explore community-led strategies. Advance Peace is a program that aims to reduce urban gun violence using formerly incarcerated community members as street outreach mentors and violence interrupters. Yet, few urban policy makers know of Advance Peace and how it is distinct from other community-based urban gun violence interruption programs, often called focused deterrence. In this paper, we describe the innovative approach used by Advance Peace, what distinguishes it from other municipal gun violence reduction strategies, and examine the elements of its unique, public health informed program called the Peacemaker Fellowship®. The Peacemaker Fellowship enrolls the small number of the most violent and hard to reach members of a community at the center of gun violence in an intensive 18-month program of trauma-informed, healing-centered, anti-racist mentorship, education, social services, and life opportunities. We suggest that cities around the world seeking transformations in their approach to public safety, including addressing structural racism and centering community expertise, explore the unique features of the Advance Peace approach.

Highlights

Urban violence can stymie efforts for sustainable development, climate resilience, effective ecosystem management and environmental justice, and controlling gun homicides has shown to be one critical pathway toward more inclusive and sustainable urbanization (Bogar and Beyer 2016; Mares 2013; Moser and McIlwaine 2006; Muggah 2014; World Bank 2016; WHO 2014)
We review the transformative potential of the urban gun violence reduction program called Advance Peace (AP)
Toward urban peace and healing While more research is needed to document the impacts of Advance Peace on gun crime in communities, we offer a summary of 1 year of street outreach and Fellow data (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Urban violence can stymie efforts for sustainable development, climate resilience, effective ecosystem management and environmental justice, and controlling gun homicides has shown to be one critical pathway toward more inclusive and sustainable urbanization (Bogar and Beyer 2016; Mares 2013; Moser and McIlwaine 2006; Muggah 2014; World Bank 2016; WHO 2014). We review the processes AP uses to transform the young people at the center of urban gun violence, including helping them heal from trauma and stop using firearms.

Results

Conclusion