Community Violence Intervention
Center for Hope’s community violence intervention (CVI) programs take a public health approach to preventing violence, especially gun violence. We focus on the social, economic and personal issues that can lead to harm.
Instead of relying mostly on policing or punishment, CVI supports solutions led by the community. Trained credible messengers and violence interrupters build trust with residents, watch for early signs of conflict and step in to help resolve issues before they escalate.
Safe Streets Baltimore
Safe Streets is an evidence-informed violence intervention program grounded in the 30-year-old Cure Violence model, which treats violence as a preventable public health issue. In partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) and Catholic Charities, Center for Hope helps manage this work in some of Baltimore’s most impacted communities.
Our teams are made up of credible messengers—trusted individuals with deep community ties and lived experience—who are uniquely positioned to build relationships, mediate conflicts and intervene before situations escalate. Safe Streets focuses on those at highest risk, particularly youth and young adults, and works to interrupt cycles of violence at their source through:
- Outreach
- Mentorship
- Connection to resources and opportunities
When violence does occur, our teams respond immediately to prevent retaliation, promote healing and help stabilize communities in moments of crisis.
Beyond intervention, Safe Streets helps foster more connected neighborhoods—creating spaces where residents feel supported, opportunities are within reach and cycles of violence are replaced with pathways to hope.
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Impact
Safe Streets sites have contributed to dramatic reductions in shootings and homicides across Baltimore, with some neighborhoods experiencing more than a year without a single homicide.
A 2026 study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that the program was associated with 42% reduction in homicides among youth ages 15-24 and a 21% reduction in nonfatal shootings in the neighborhoods served.
While results vary by site—as is common in complex, community-based work—the findings add to a growing body of evidence that violence intervention can reduce harm and save lives.
Center for Hope manages six of the ten Safe Streets sites in Baltimore:
Woodbourne-McCabe
5313 York Road
Baltimore, MD 21212
Belvedere
5320 Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215
Belair-Edison
3412 Belair Road
Baltimore, MD 21213
McElderry Park
2716 Pulaski Highway
Baltimore, MD 21224
Franklin Square
5 N. Calhoun St.
Baltimore, MD 21223
Park Heights
3412 Belair Road
Baltimore, MD 21215
Hospital-Based Violence Response Teams
Specially trained Violence Response Teams are available 24/7 at Sinai Hospital and Grace Medical Center to provide immediate, bedside support to patients impacted by violence.
As a hospital-based violence intervention program (HVIP), this work goes beyond crisis response. Our teams work with patients during the critical “golden hour,” a moment immediately following injury when individuals are often most open to change.
Responders encourage safer and healthier paths forward, working to:
- Address immediate safety needs
- Connect patients to services and ongoing support
- Prevent repeat injury, retaliation and further harm
- Disrupt cycles of violence at every stage
Center for Hope is a proud member of the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), a national network advancing evidence-informed programs that treat violence as a public health issue. Our model is deeply integrated across systems, with HVIP teams working closely with trauma providers, Safe Streets outreach teams and Center for Hope staff to ensure seamless, continuous support from the hospital into the community.
Medical Services
Medical evaluations are available for children and adolescents who may have experienced abuse or neglect, including those in foster care.
These visits are led by clinicians trained in trauma-informed care and are designed to be gentle and respectful. Evaluations can help document injuries, test for infections, provide reassurance and guide families toward the next steps in care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an example of community violence?
Community violence refers to acts of intentional harm that occur in public spaces between individuals who may or may not know each other. An example could be a shooting or assault connected to an ongoing conflict, retaliation, or dispute within a neighborhood. More broadly, community violence can include physical fights, threats and other acts that create fear and instability.
These incidents are often not isolated. They are part of broader cycles of violence fueled by trauma, unmet needs and limited access to opportunity. Programs like Safe Streets work to interrupt these cycles early—mediating conflicts, preventing retaliation and connecting individuals at highest risk with support before violence occurs.
What is community violence intervention?
Community violence intervention is an evidence-informed approach that reduces violence by addressing it as a preventable public health issue. It relies on trusted community members—often called credible messengers—to mediate conflicts, engage people at highest risk and prevent violence before it happens.
CVI is built on the understanding that violence is driven by underlying factors like trauma, lack of opportunity and ongoing cycles of harm. By intervening early, building strong relationships and connecting individuals to support and resources, CVI programs help interrupt these cycles and create safer, more resilient communities.
Does community violence intervention work?
Yes. Several studies from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions show that programs like Safe Streets are reducing both homicides and nonfatal shootings by addressing the root causes of violence.
For Baltimore’s young people—who are disproportionately impacted by gun violence—these results represent meaningful progress. They also highlight the importance of continued investment in community violence intervention.
What is a violence interrupter?
A violence interrupter is a credible messenger trained to stop conflicts from escalating into violence. They use their relationships and local knowledge to recognize risks, step into tense situations and guide people toward safer outcomes.
Many interrupters have lived experience, which helps them build trust and connect with those they serve.
How do violence interrupters prevent violence?
Violence interrupters work in their communities every day to reduce the risk of harm. They identify situations that could escalate, mediate disputes and connect people to resources that address underlying challenges.
Their work includes both immediate response and ongoing support, helping to de-escalate situations and reduce the chance of future violence.
