Safe Streets
Our Mission
Safe Streets is a community mobilization and outreach program designed to combat shootings and homicides within designated geographical posts. This intervention targets high-risk youth aged 14 to 25, through outreach and service connection, and the community as a whole, through a media campaign and community mobilization.
The target audience for the program are high-risk individuals ages 17-25 who’ve been referred from our Safe Streets program and other partner service providers in Park Heights. The expanded program enhancements will allow us to:
- Community coalition building
- Street outreach to at risk youth
- Public education
- Clergy involvement
- Law enforcement collaboration
In its first year of operation in high violence communities in Chicago, CeaseFire achieved reductions in shootings and homicides of between 25% and 67%
How Does Safe Streets Work?
The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (MONSE) funds 10 community-based organizations to implement the Safe Streets model in 10 identified target neighborhoods, referred to as “posts”.
The Park Heights Safe Streets program started in 2013 and was one of the original 4 site locations with great successes in mediating conflicts that may have led to fatalities, making behavioral health, employment and Health case management referralsSafe Streets emphasizes the delivery of a unified message that violence is no longer acceptable through community organization and public education. Safe Streets also incorporates and emphasizes a strong street outreach component, with outreach workers canvassing neighborhoods and connecting with high-risk youth and young adults during evenings and weekends to diffuse situations and link them to services. Safe Streets is a tool that communities can use to restore the safety of their streets and strengthen community bonds through community mobilization, outreach, public education, faith, and criminal justice community involvement.
Who Can Be a Participant?
Participants must have at least four (4) of the following risk factors, but will also be evaluated on a case-by-case basis:
- Gang/crew involvement; participant is thought to be a member of a gang or crew known to be actively involved with violence
- Key role in gang or crew; participant is thought to have key role in gang or crew known to be actively involved with violence
- Prior criminal history; including crimes against persons, pending or prior arrests for weapons offenses
- High-risk street activity; participant is thought to be involved in street activity that is highly associated with violence
- Recent victim of shooting; client has been shot within last 90 days
- Between the ages of 14 and 25
- Recently released from prison or juvenile detention; underlying offense was crime against person(s)
What Happens if there is a Shooting Within the Target Area?
When a shooting happens, the Safe Streets site responds. Safe Streets sites partner with community members and local organizations to spread its message of nonviolence. Within seventy-two (72) hours of a shooting, Safe Streets organizes a community activity to call attention to the shootings and killings and to urge community members to join with others in speaking out against violence. Some examples of these activities, or “responses,” are peace marches, midnight barbeques, vigils, and prayer sessions. Through these responses, Safe Streets reaches out to the community to try and prevent retaliation or further violence.
