Research shows link between joblessness and youth violence: Pathways to Peace

Some local programs see youth employment as more than just a workforce development issue. They also view jobs as a way to offer stability to young people, especially those from Cleveland area communities with high violence rates. The research bears them out. These are the voices of some of the voices speaking in favor of more jobs and less violence.

Should police be law enforcers or social responders? Some leaders say "guardian" duty is at least important as purely law enforcement tasks, sometimes known as "warrior" work. That idea is rooted in centuries-old principles of policing.

Operation Focus is a nationally recognized initiative to help curb gun violence; however, its effectiveness has proven to not be sustainable. The city of Cleveland has evaluated the problems of the initiative and has put forth a new plan to address underlying issues related to gun violence. Cleveland’s new approach treats violence as a preventable condition.

A program in Baltimore bring youths together with volunteer second “families” to help guide them through turbulent times.

Collaborative efforts targeting adult-peer mentoring in Kansas City, Missouri have resulted in less crime and increased trust among participants. Focusing on high-risk teens and young adults, the program known as Teens in Transition connects law enforcement with youth members to work together on an art project over a 9-week span.

After going to prison themselves, John Knight of Jackson and Shanduke McPhatter of Brooklyn are living straight and determined to make changes. They work as "violence interrupters" in their neighborhoods, using an approach called "Cure Violence," developed by Dr. Gary Slutkin. They mentor other young, at-risk men and encourage them towards graduating high school, community service, staying away from drugs, and pursuing honest work.

A nonprofit in Indianapolis diverts kids from the juvenile justice system by using a teen court where first-time offenders admit their guilt to a jury made up of fellow students rather than going through suspension or expulsion. Jurors usually give verdicts that include community service, apologies, restitution, counseling and tutoring, and possibly serving on a jury. About 1,000 students participate each year and the county prosecutor named the nonprofit Crime Fighter of the Year for its work.

Multnomah County, Oregon, experienced a surge of gang activity between 2013 and 2014. To curtail crime and violence, a group of pastors intervened with the 11:45 program. The program provides services and mentorship to gang-involved youth in the criminal justice system through outreach programs.

At least 33 states now involve students in education policymaking through formal advisory roles or positions on state boards, and these youth have helped spearhead changes, such as a Massachusetts rule requiring student feedback to be considered in the teacher evaluation process and a Washington bill creating school-based liaisons to coordinate homelessness services.

Choose 180 channels Seattle-area young people into an alternative to court and jail when they commit relatively minor offenses. This "offramp" from the traditional justice system, serving a disproportionately Black and brown clientele, helped 400 clients in 2019, 87% of whom did not commit new offenses. Research shows such diversion programs have a better track record for preventing future crimes. A Choose 180 "sentence" comes in the form of a workshop introducing young people to mentors and giving them a chance at the stability and frame of mind they need to seek more lasting change in their lives.