Developing a Violence Intervention and Prevention Intercept Model

• In Event: Developing and Testing an Ecosystem Approach for Community Violence Research, Evaluation, and Planning

Abstract

This presentation will outline the initial development phase of a novel Violence Intervention and Prevention Intercept Model (VIPIM) designed to evaluate community and hospital violence intervention and prevention ecosystems. Using Boston as a case study, we conducted a comprehensive literature review and landscape analysis to document existing evidence on ecological approaches to violence prevention and identified key stakeholder organizations in Boston serving individuals at medium to high risk for violence. Through a series of interviews with researchers, practitioners, and program participants, we explored underlying socioecological factors affecting violence risk and responsivity to interventions. Findings from Phase 1 highlight critical entry points, gatekeepers, data sources, and pathways through which at-risk individuals interact with intervention and prevention services. This work addresses gaps in understanding how ecosystem approaches to violence prevention can be systematically evaluated, providing practitioners and researchers with a structured framework to assess coordination, effectiveness, and efficiency across multiple intervention points.

Author

• Trevor Fronius, WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center