Community safety is under attack
Violence Prevention
Violence is down across the country—but prevention programs are under threat
After a pandemic-era surge in violence, crime has dropped significantly—falling below 2019 levels in many cities. Research shows that targeted investments in community violence intervention, school-based prevention, rural safety efforts, and similar strategies played a key role. These programs reduce shootings, interrupt cycles of retaliation, and create real pathways to healing. Yet despite their impact, the federal government has cut $245 million in funding—putting frontline organizations and the communities they serve in jeopardy.
The evidence
We know what works to make communities safer
Safety is about preventing violence through proven, targeted approaches like engaging with people most likely to commit or experience violence, working with youth, and delivering better policing. No victim wants to be told they are sorry for the loss and pain - they don’t want to be a victim in the first place.
63% reduction in shootings and significant financial savings
A community violence intervention (CVI) program in East Harlem—where trusted community members mediate conflict—reduced shootings by 63%. According to the New York City Comptroller, CVI programs citywide cut gun violence by 21% between 2012 and 2024, preventing an estimated 1,500 shootings. They also save money: Baltimore’s Safe Streets program generated $7 to $19 in savings for every $1 invested.
29% reduction in violence for high schoolers from school-based prevention programs
Violence prevention programs are especially important for protecting youth. These programs ensure that kids, who are particularly at risk of committing violence due to developing brains, get or stay on the right track, avoiding violence and arrest and staying out of the criminal legal system.
What’s at stake?
$245 million in life-saving programs cut
Stop the cuts
Proven strategies to prevent violence are being dismantled
In 2024, crime plummeted in Baltimore—thanks in part to Safe Streets, the City’s community-based violence prevention program. But now, Center for Hope, which runs the program, is facing devastating cuts. The Trump Administration has slashed $1.2 million in funding to the Center—part of $8 million in total cuts to city-wide grants—putting proven solutions at risk.
The data behind the impact
Track the cuts
Explore the full list of impacted programs and see exactly where funding has been slashed.
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