Trenton Violence Reduction Strategy: A Humanistic, Pulling-Levers Focused Deterrence Strategy

• In Event: The Social and Political Context of Crime, Terrorism, and Violence Reduction

Abstract

Pulling levers focused deterrence strategies are acknowledged by the US DOJ as effective methods of reducing violence through problem-oriented policing, inter-agency identification and targeting of high risk potential offenders, strong sanction linkage to offending, and provision of social services to support behavior change. Initiatives including Cease Fire, Cure, and Project Safe Neighborhoods have laid an evidence-based foundation for continued progress strengthening community engagement in such programming. The Trenton Violence Reduction Strategy (TVRS) borrows the strongest components from previous models including targeting offenders, deterrent messaging (call-in), research partners, tailoring strategy, centralized leadership, targeted social services, mentoring, and conflict management. The partnership between Trenton Police Department, NJ Attorney General, US Attorney General of NJ, The College of New Jersey and the Trenton community has effectively implemented TVRS for three years. In addition to collecting crime data and mapping, TVRS collects individual level data at each call-in and at 6, 12 and 24 month post-call-in intervals to assess individual behavior change over time. This method provides a platform to highlight differences in individuals who do and do not engage in services post-call-in, allowing for call-in structure modification to increase engagement. We will present three years of crime statistics and individual behavior change data.

Authors

• Sandy Gibson, The College of New Jersey

• Heather Camp, The College of New Jersey

• David Mazeika, The College of New Jersey

• Alexis Durlacher, Trenton Police Department

• Abdul Muhammad, Trenton Violence Reduction Strategy