SAVE KC: Process Evaluation of Focused Deterrence Initiative

• In Event: Evaluations of Law Enforcement Strategies and Interventions

Abstract

In 2024, Kansas City, Missouri started SAVE KC, a focused deterrence program aimed at decreasing gun violence. While there is a national playbook for focused deterrence programs, there is a lack of empirical and/or systematic exploration on focused deterrence processes. To address this issue, grant funds were utilized to explore the unique context of Kansas City, how a focused deterrence initiative was established in Kansas City, and to identify contextual issues that may have implications elsewhere. These analyses take a mixed methods approach to understanding this phenomenon. Through implementation science and continuous evaluations, we found that Kansas City had specific needs that changed how focused deterrence could be effectively used in other locations. Substantively, other communities may find many of Kansas City’s specific strategies useful in developing their own initiatives.

Authors

• Seth Fallik, University of Missouri-Kansas City

• Kaitlyn Olivia Schebaum, University of Missouri-Kansas City