Behind LA's dramatic decline in gang violence

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/24/gang-violence-decline_n_6656840.html?cps=gravity_2659_7317138142693194709

Ann Brenoff

The Huffington Post

24 February 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

In the past, Los Angeles was a dangerous city fraught with gang wars. Lately, though, LA has become a safer city due to six changes enforced by the police cracking down on public violence and gangs.

Gay and Lesbian Liaison Police Unit

http://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/ideas-we-should-steal-gay-and-lesbian-liaison-police-unit

Emma Eisenberg

The Philadelphia Citizen

1 August 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Crimes against LGBT citizens have gone underreported in many U.S. cities. Washington DC’s Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit has employed and trained LGBT officers to represent community members that they protect and serve. After the establishment of the GLLU, the number of reported crimes has increased, demonstrating the comfort and trust that the community has with law enforcement.

Like Fayetteville, Chattanooga's new leaders take aim at crime

http://www.fayobserver.com/article/20131222/news/312229754

Greg Barnes

Fayetteville Observer

22 December 2013

Text / Under 800 Words

For years, Chattanooga has had one of the highest violent crime rates in the country. - last year, its rate stood at 863 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 34 percent higher than Fayetteville's. But like Fayetteville, Chattanooga has a new mayor and new City Council members who say they are committed to stopping the violence.

Houston's solution to mental health system problems offers a case study for Milwaukee

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/houstons-solution-to-mental-health-system-problems-offers-a-case-study-for-milwaukee-b9928490z1-210715811.html

Meg Kissinger

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

8 June 2013

Text / 1500-3000 Words

In Houston, TX, many individuals with mental illnesses cycled in and out of emergency care while arrested or incarcerated. Houston’s police department has decreased the number of incarcerated who have mental illness by opening a division to mental health called the Chronic Consumer Stabilization Unit. Now Milwaukee seeks to replicate Houston’s results.

How can Milwaukee County's broken mental health system be fixed?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/chronic-crisis-how-can-milwaukee-countys-broken-mental-health-system-be-fixed-229974841.html

Meg Kissinger

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

5 November 2013

Text / Under 800 Words

Milwaukee County’s mental health system put more resources in expensive emergency care rather than invest in programs that offer continual care. As a result, Milwaukee County identifies nine solutions from other cities that have had success in repairing mental health systems. Solutions include the ending of reliance on emergency care, expand community support programs, change laws, and supportive housing.

Mental Health Cops Help Reweave Social Safety Net In San Antonio

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/08/19/338895262/mental-health-cops-help-reweave-social-safety-net-in-san-antonio

Jenny Gold

NPR

19 August 2014

Radio / 5-15 Minutes

Across the country, jails hold 10 times as many people with serious mental illness as state hospitals do, according to a recent report from the Treatment Advocacy Center. To deal with the problem, San Antonio and Bexar County have transformed their mental health system into a program considered a model for the rest of the nation - the effort has focused on an idea called "smart justice" — basically, diverting people with serious mental illness out of jail and into treatment instead.

How Cincinnati Revitalized Police-Community Relations

http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/policing-police-how-cincinnati-police-community-relations

John Hockenberry

The Takeaway

25 June 2014

Podcast / 5-15 Minutes

After a policeman shot and killed a teenage African American, a community in Cincinnati blamed law enforcement for racial profiling and riots expanded throughout the city. With the help of the Department of Justice as a mediator, Cincinnati made policy changes. The city now has an African American Police Association that brings police officers in communication with representatives of communities.

How Conservative, Tough-On-Crime Utah Reined In Police Militarization

http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/how-conservative-tough-on-crime-utah-reined-in-police-milita

Evan McMorris-Santoro

Buzzfeed

1 September 2014

Text / 800-1500 Words

The militarization of police forces in cases such as Ferguson, Missouri’s riots has led the state of Utah to question what can be done to prevent such an overuse of force from happening. Utah expanded upon a law passed by Democratic legislature in Maryland, which Utah’s ACLU reworked with some libertarians, to require the police to provide data about SWAT team usage. Utah’s success demonstrates that demilitarization bills passed with bipartisan support are not impossible.

How one city cut violent crime by 60 percent

http://www.fayobserver.com/article/20131222/News/312229757

Greg Barnes

Fayetteville Observer

22 December 2013

Text / Under 800 Words

Areas of High Point, North Carolina have suffered from crime, poverty, and neglect, until the city began implementing Operation Ceasefire, a policing program that uses data collecting, community support against crime. High Point is now leading the country in its success of Operation Ceasefire, boasting dramatic reductions in violent crimes, domestic abuse, robberies, and drug-related offenses.

How one of America's most dangerous cities reduced gun violence

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/3/12/a-confused-war-reducing-gun-violence-part-1.html

Rachel Waldholz

Mariel Carr

Al Jazeera

12 March 2015

Video / 5-15 Minutes

Richmond, California ranked among the highest homicide rates in the country. The city created the Office of Neighborhood Safety to engage the community in the effort to curb gun violence and prevent homicides. ONS works directly with the young people who are at risk and have succeeded in reducing the homicide rate.