Community Violence in Chicago is Declining, but So Is Funding
Leaders from several violence prevention groups in the city of Chicago shared hopeful statistics for declining levels of violence with the Chicago Sun-Times but also expressed trepidation on the future of community violence intervention (CVI) in the face of a changing funding landscape.
According to data collected by University of Chicago Crime Lab, 2024 saw the lowest rates of homicides in the city since 2019, and a similar decrease in violent crimes has also inspired hope for safer Chicago communities.
This reduction is in part owed to the tireless efforts of CVI specialists across the city, who work to reduce violence through street outreach, case management, victim services, and social services through a large network of non-profit organizations. One of these is Communities Partnering 4 Peace, a coalition of CVI providers working to bring down shootings in 28 of Chicago’s most high-risk neighborhoods.
While research has shown that CVI works to make communities safer, crucial funding for these programs still hangs in the balance as pandemic grants begin to expire. “There’s a lot more work to be done,” said Shunda Collins, Vice President of Development and Communication for CP4P coalition member organization the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago (INVC), to the Sun-Times. “We can only scale if we have a foundation.”