A Participatory-Action Research Project to Understand CVI Engagement and Risk Assessment

• In Event: From Theory to Action: Advancing Research and Practice in Community Violence Intervention (CVI)

Abstract

Community Violence Interventions (CVIs) are common responses to community violence. CVIs use “credible messengers” as outreach workers (OWs). OWs have legitimacy in vulnerable communities and use this position to engage those at-high. Still, some questions arise. How do OWs use their status to assess and engage at-risk individuals? And, are there at-risk individuals who OWs deem unsuitable for participation? This study used a Participatory-Action Research (PAR) design, created with 3 senior OWs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to interviews with 18 OWs, OWs were trained to interview at-risk individuals enrolled in a CVI program and to recruit and interview individuals who had been approached, but had not enrolled in the program. Analyses revealed that OWs use their own change narratives to establish trust. CVI participants discussed trusting OWs because of shared history. Non-engaged at-risk individuals reported skepticism of CVI programming, and instead discussed the thrills of “street life.” All participants discussed challenges such as lack of employment and feelings of hopelessness. Results suggest that there are specific characteristics that make someone an appropriate CVI candidate and that OWs evaluate at-risk individuals before engaging them. Findings also indicate that some at-risk individuals with antisocial characteristics makes them unsuitable for CVIs.

Authors

• Peter Simonsson, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

• Quinzel Tomoney, Cure Violence Philadelphia / Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

• Edmund “Tweet” Raymond, Cure Violence Philadelphia / Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

• Caterina Roman, Temple University

• Shadd Maruna, Queen's University Belfast