Evidence Summary

The Cure Violence Approach has the strongest evidence of effectiveness for violence prevention. Today, there are eight evaluations and more than a dozen studies and reports showing a large impact on violence.

Click here to read the Cure Violence Evidence Summary Report.

  • 45% violent crime (Trinidad & Tobago)
  • 63% shooting (New York City)
  • 30% shootings (Philadelphia)
  • 48% shooting — in first week of program (Chicago)
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Evaluations

Cali, Colombia - ICESI University

The implementation of the Cure Violence strategy between 2017 and 2019 showed significant results in Cali. The program sought to reduce violence in the neighborhoods of Charco Azul and the settlements of Comuneros.

Highlights:

  • Between 2017 and 2019, homicides were reduced by 47% in Charco Azul and by 30% in the intervention area in Comuneros.
  • The voluntary involvement of 307 high-risk youths to the project (129 in Comuneros and 178 in Charco Azul).
  • 40% of the young people linked to the project went back to school.

Read the Full Evaluation

Trinidad and Tobago – IDB/Arizona State University

This report presents a comprehensive evaluation of the Cure Violence™ initiative implemented in Trinidad and Tobago. The program was implemented from July 2015 to August 2017. The report includes three main components: a process evaluation, impact evaluation, and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Highlights

  • 45% reduction in violent crime rate
  • 23% reduction in calls for police
  • Reduction in hospital admissions
  • “They really are suggestive of a strong impact.”  Nicholas Corsaro, Evaluator
  • “Our study actually showed really powerful effects.” Ed Maguire, Lead Evaluator

Read the Full Trinidad Evaluation

New York (NYC-Cure) – John Jay Research & Evaluation Center

An extensive evaluation of the Cure Violence™ program in 2 communities in New York City was conducted by John Jay College of Criminal Justice Research and Evaluation Center.

“Effects of Cure Violence in South Bronx and East New York, Brooklyn” (2017)

  • 63% reduction in shootings and 37% reduction in gun injuries in South Bronx
  • 50% reduction in gun injuries in East New York

“Young Men in Neighborhoods with Cure Violence™ Programs Report Growing Confidence in Police”

  • 22% improvement in trust in police and willingness to call police among highest risk

“Young Men in Neighborhoods with Cure Violence™ Programs Adopt Attitudes Less Supportive of Violence“ (2017)

  • 14% reduction in attitudes supporting violence, with no change in controls

“Perceptions of Violence in Harlem, South Bronx, East New York, Morrisania, and Bed-Stuy” (2015)

  • Young men in Cure Violence™ zones reported Increased confidence in police and increased willingness to contact police

Read all of the reports on Cure Violence™ from John Jay REC

Effects of Cure Violence™ in South Bronx and East NYC
Attitudes Less Supportive of Violence
Repairing Trust

Philadelphia – Temple University

A 2017 evaluation of the Cure Violence™ program in Philadelphia found significant reductions in violence associated with the program.

Highlights

  • 30% reduction in shootings (comparing the 24 months before the implementation to the 24 months after implementation)
  • A statistically significant reduction in both total shootings across 5 hot spots
  • Comparison groups reductions were either not statistically significant or not as large as those in the target areas.

Download the full Philadelphia evaluation report

Baltimore – CDC/Johns Hopkins

A 2012 CDC/Johns Hopkins evaluation of 4 communities in Baltimore.

Highlights

  • 56% reductions in killings and 34% in shootings in one community
  • Reductions across all 4 communities
  • 276 conflict mediations
  • Reductions spread to surrounding communities
  • Norms on violence were changed – people in program site were much less likely to accept the use of a gun to settle a dispute; 4 times more likely to show little or no support for gun use.

Download the full Baltimore evaluation report

Chicago – McCormick Foundation/University of Chicago/UIC

A 2013 McCormick Foundation/University of Chicago/UIC quantitative and a qualitative evaluation of the 2012/2013 CeaseFire illinois/Cure Violence™ program covered two Chicago neighborhoods.

Highlights

  • 31% greater decrease in killings
  • 1% greater decrease in total violent crimes (including domestic violence),
  • 19% greater decrease in shootings
  • CeaseFire high-risk participants reported decreased involvement in crime and violence,

Download the McCormick Qualitative Evaluation

Download the McCormick Quantitative Evaluation

New York – BJA/Center for Court Innovation

In New York City, a 2010 BJA/Center for Court Innovation evaluation analyzed the program in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Highlights

  • 20% lower shootings compared to control
  • More than 100 mediations involving more than 1,000 people
  • Average monthly shooting rates decreased by 6%, while increasing in the three comparison areas between 18% and 28%

Download the full New York evaluation report

Chicago – NIJ/Northwestern

A 2009 NIJ/Northwestern University evaluation analyzed 7 communities in Chicago.

Highlights

  • 41% to 73% reductions in shootings
  • 40% reduction/cooling of hot spots
  • 100% reductions in retaliation homicides in 5 of 8 communities
  • “Overall, the impact of the CeaseFire Program is significant and moderate-to-large in size.”
  • “In every program area there was a substantial decline in the median density of shootings following the introduction of CeaseFire.”

Download the Chicago evaluation executive summary

Download the full Chicago evaluation report

Chicago Full Evaluation (2009)
Chicago Evaluation Summary (2009)

Additional Studies & Papers – Honduras, Mexico, Chicago, more

In addition to the formal evaluation studies listed above, there are also numerous other studies and papers written about the impact of the Cure Violence™ approach.

San Pedro Sula, Honduras
New Orleans, USA
Effects on Children and Families