A Review of Community Violence Intervention Programs in the Greater Philadelphia Region: A Multi-Study Panel

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

Many Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs focus on a main intervention and its association with a reduction in violence. It is also critical to understand the social ecology of program operations and local context that may influence interactions. The current study involved comparative and iterative research with multiple Community Violence Intervention sites across the greater Philadelphia area - in a rural, suburban, and urban context (Philadelphia, PA - Germantown, CeaseFire; Philadelphia, PA - Kensington, Cure Violence; Chester, PA, CeaseFire, Southern New Jersey, Life Worth Living) to better understand the social ecological context of violence prevention programming. The study included two main data collection components: 1. A survey administered to local communities that measured “baseline” attitudes towards violence held by residents at heightened risk of violence or violent victimizations, and 2. Interviews with key program stakeholders about the broader social, political, and ideological context of programming. Analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. A comparative analysis across the three sites provided nuance to the data and considerations for CVI programming and related research. Each paper of the thematic panel presents specific findings from the research.

Sub Unit

• Area VII. Non-Criminal Justice Responses to Crime & Delinquency / 61. Community Responses

Individual Presentations

• Attitudes towards Violence in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas: A Comparative Analysis - Jay Szkola, Rowan University; Devon Ziminski, Rutgers University; Kwan-Lamar Blount-Hill, Arizona State University; Michelle Lyttle Storrod, Widener University

• Community Violence Intervention Programs on Social Media - A Comparative Study - Michelle Lyttle Storrod, Widener University; Jay Szkola, Rowan University; Devon Ziminski, Rutgers University; Kwan-Lamar Blount-Hill, Arizona State University

• Considerations for Rural CVI Programs - Devon Ziminski, Rutgers University; Kwan-Lamar Blount-Hill, Arizona State University; Michelle Lyttle Storrod, Widener University; Jay Szkola, Rowan University

• Cure Violence-Based Conflict Mediation in Philadelphia, PA: Comparing Credible Messenger Strategies across Active Drug Markets in Kensington versus Other Neighborhoods - Caterina Roman, Temple University; Peter Simonsson, Temple University; Peter Twigg, Temple University; Tyreek Counts, New Kensington Community Development Corporation; Amy Perez, New Kensington Community Development Corporation; Jesse Jannetta, The Urban Institute

Chair

• Caterina Roman, Temple University