The State of Street Outreach (in Chicago)

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

As the country wrestles with a rise in gun violence and urgent calls to reform harsh criminal justice strategies, street outreach is becoming an increasingly critical violence prevention strategy. The White House has prioritized community violence interventions like street outreach in its ambitious, comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence nationwide. Chicago is a key site where street outreach is being incorporated into broader initiatives aimed at improving public health and reimagining public safety. Despite the current spotlight, relatively little is known about street outreach interventions and if and how they work. Since 2018, the Northwestern Neighborhood and Network Initiative (N3) has used an engaged research approach to partner with several major Chicago-based outreach organizations to better understand and assess street outreach as a promising gun violence prevention strategy. This panel presents a series of findings and insights from N3’s innovative research and evaluation of several community gun violence interventions in Chicago. The panel will feature the work of community partners and researchers who together will share their perspectives and experiences on the state of street outreach, with a special focus on the importance of building equitable community-academic research partnerships to address gun violence and improve public safety in Chicago and beyond.

Sub Unit

• Area V. Victimization / 38. Policy and Prevention of Victimization

Individual Presentations

• The Violence Intervention Workers Survey: An In-Depth View of Outreach Workers in Chicago - Andrew Papachristos, Northwestern University

• Assessing Risk: Frontline Perspectives of Navigating the Dynamics of Gun Violence - Angelica D'Souza, Northwestern University

• Evaluating Impact: Applications of Mixed-Methods Research Designs for Assessing the Effect of Street Outreach on Participant Outcomes - Marisa Ross, Northwestern University

• Building Equitable Research Partnerships: Emerging Lessons from Engaged Research on Gun Violence Prevention & Implications for Policy and Practice - Chelsie Coren, Northwestern University and Terrance Henderson, Chicago CRED