Launched in 2018, the Violence Intervention Initiative is a collaborative community engagement strategy designed to support District residents and reduce the incidents of gun-related violence in District communities. The VI initiative accomplishes this work by:

• Developing tactics to address potential conflicts
• Stabilizing communities following a violent conflict
• Offering support to individuals at high risk of being directly involved in violence, whether as a victim or perpetrator

The VI initiative uses a three-pronged approach that incorporates a public health perspective and the provision of services to address residents’ physical and mental health needs.  The approach focuses on all persons affected by violent acts, including victims, perpetrators, and their support systems/networks.

A Community-Focused Approach

Violence intervention efforts are specifically designed to address gun violence stemming from group, crew, and neighborhood conflicts and the potential cycle of retaliatory violence. ONSE’s intervention efforts are not designed to address other categories stemming from gun violence, such as intimate partner violence, family violence, or interpersonal conflicts, although those categories may intersect with retaliatory gun violence.  It is the ONS position that peace and hope can equally multiply to help effectuate reduction strategies have the power to increase the public safety impact in imppacted communities.

To learn more about the programs and services the District offers to crime victims, visit the DC Victim Hotline and read about the work of the ONSE Family and Survivor Support program.

Partnering With Violence Interrupters

Violence Interrupters are rooted outreach workers, many with a lived experience that provides unique skills, abilities, and a deep understanding of historical neighborhood conflicts. Most violence interrupters live or have lived in the community they serve and have been personally impacted by community violence.

Violence Interrupters are responsible for:

• Building positive relationships with priority community members and developing partnerships with community organizations to implement violence intervention strategies.
• Serving as mentors to high-risk individuals.
• Identifying community and interpersonal conflicts possessing the potential to escalate to violence.
• Supporting the facilitation of ceasefires and mediations.
• Responding to critical incidents to conduct information gathering, rumor control, and de-escalation.

Full-time Violence Interrupters dedicate 30 hours per week to engaging high-risk individuals and 10 hours per week to engaging community partners, ceasefire and mediation efforts, attending community events, and training.

Violence Interrupters directly impact the lives of individuals, families, and communities mostly affected by violence, working behind the scenes to extricate people from cycles of violence. Under ONSE’s model, Violence Interrupters employ evidence-based informal counseling techniques and utilize trauma-informed care and restorative justice principles in their work. ONSE violence interrupters are supported by a team of case managers and community navigators. Learn more about the critical work of Violence Interrupters.

Restorative Justice Principles

ONSE embeds restorative justice principles into its core programs including the Violence Intervention Initiative, Pathways, and Family and Survivor Support.  Methods used include conducting peace/healing circles, conferences, therapeutic services and mediations.  The methods are designed to support both those impacted by gun violence directly and indirectly, as well as those responsible for causing harm.  Principles also include addressing self-discipline, empathy, and accountability.  They also identifying avenues that enhance community dialogue, cohesion, reconciliation, and empowerment.

The Communities We Serve

ONSE’s Violence Interrupters use a data-driven approach to focus their efforts in communities experiencing sustained levels of gun violence. ONSE contracts with three community-based organizations — Collaborative Solutions for Communities, Training Grounds, and Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative (and their subcontractor J&J Solutions) — to work in 22 communities across Wards 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Each contractor develops a neighborhood plan that tailors intervention services to specifically build upon the strengths and meet the needs of each priority community. ONSE monitors each of its partner organizations to ensure quality services are being provided to priority communities through regular staff meetings, monthly reviews of neighborhood plans, and regular neighborhood visits.

A map of the ONSE communities can be found here. Learn more about how ONSE measures impact of the initiative here.