Renée Branch Canady, PhD, MPA Chief Executive Officer at Michigan Public Health Institute | Twitter Website
Renée Branch Canady, PhD, MPA Chief Executive Officer at Michigan Public Health Institute | Twitter Website
MPHI has received a $1 million investment from the Department of Justice to study the impact of community intervention programs aimed at reducing gun violence. The funding comes through the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance program, which supports crime prevention strategies and aims to improve community safety and criminal justice outcomes.
The investment will aid MPHI in researching gun violence prevention initiatives, focusing on Peacemaker Fellowship strategies. These strategies target cyclical and retaliatory gun violence in urban areas using a quasi-experimental design. The study will compare intervention groups with control groups in Pomona, California; Stockton, California; and Fort Worth, Texas.
MPHI plans to engage at least 100 individuals across these cities with evidence-based practices like street outreach, mentoring, life skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, and subsidized employment. Additional support includes life management action plans, daily check-ins, social services navigation, transformative travel, elders circle discussions, internship opportunities, and milestone allowances. Participants will be compared against control groups from the same areas to evaluate program effectiveness.
“This innovative program will help inform best strategies to address gun violence while helping to curb the cycle of gun-related offenses,” stated Senator Gary Peters.
MPHI collaborates with the Center for Global Healthy Cities at UC Berkeley, Advance Peace, and local organizations implementing the Peacemaker Fellowship in these cities.
For more information about this initiative or related topics:
- Visit Senator Gary Peters' announcement page.
- Learn about the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Alerts Sign-up