VRC Director, @thomasabt.bsky.social highlighted the VRC's white paper on Community Violence Problem Analysis (CVPA) at the National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms. CVPA is a key tool to reduce fatal & nonfatal shootings. Read here: vrc.umd.edu/sites/vrc.um...

Very pleased to see Knoxville's Project TLC recognized by both @bloombergcities.bsky.social and the IACP (links below). Kudos to Mayor Kincannon, Chief Noel, LaKenya Middlebrook and all the amazing folks who helped make it happen. The @vrcinfo.bsky.social is proud to partner with you!

Decades of rigorous research on gun violence interventions exist, but evidence is scattered. An updated meta-review is underway and was highlighted at the 2025 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms by @thomasabt.bsky.social. Campbell Protocol: tinyurl.com/653rdh4d

At @vrcinfo.bsky.social, we seem to be particularly effective at doing this, and the initial results (we believe in rigorous evaluation so don't want to oversell) are promising.

This piece celebrates the work of community violence intervention, which is good and important, but I would have liked more acknowledgement that crime is also falling because of the work of law enforcement. In fact... www.washingtonpost.com/nation/inter...

At our Social Media Symposium last week, the VRC hosted panels with youth, law enforcement, community-based workers, and researchers to discuss solutions to community violence in the digital age. Keep an eye out for our white paper offering actionable insights!

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social and Research Associate Mark Mills had the opportunity of presenting at the @amersoccriminology.bsky.social annual conference. They presented on Obstacles and Opportunities for Evidence-Informed Anti-Violence Policy.

Watch this brief but insightful presentation by @avpapachristos.bsky.social on using network science to better understand and address community gun violence. Understanding these networks is key to creating targeted interventions that can save lives and improve safety. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnlH...

Today, the VRC brought together voices from across sectors to discuss how social media can both impact and help prevent community violence. Real conversations, and real collaboration. Thank you to everyone who shared your solution-driven insights! Our white paper coming soon.

@jama.com convened 60 experts from diverse fields to design a forward-looking roadmap for significantly reducing firearm-related harm by 2040. Read more on evidence-informed strategies: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Community Violence Intervention (CVI) approaches vary in theory, activities & populations served. This grey lit review shows how CVI practitioners, funders & scholars define and apply strategies. Timely read for research, practice & policy: doi.org/10.1177/0046...

@thomasabt.bsky.social, Director of the Violence Reduction Center, moderated a panel with key stakeholders focused on strategies that have led to a significant reduction in gun violence in New Orleans and how to ensure their sustainability. Watch here: vimeo.com/1121566754?f...

Thank you to the City of New Orleans and Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office for the opportunity to engage with community stakeholders advancing the City’s innovative public safety efforts, which have led to a significant drop in homicides. The VRC was honored to support this important work!

In the St. Louis region, SaveLivesNow is using science to guide its crime strategy with promising initial signs. If it succeeds, people will need to know about it. www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

In this article, @tonymess.bsky.social connects evidence and crime-fighting, both in St. Louis and beyond. Pleased to have been a part of it and glad to see the @vrcinfo.bsky.social's work mentioned. www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Pleased to see the lessons from Bleeding Out are still getting out there. Focus. Balance. Fairness. iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/19/d...

Last week, VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social gave the keynote at Sacramento Police Department's Violent Crime Summit. Thank you to Dr. Nicole Clavo-Barclay and Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester for the opportunity to discuss the work of the VRC!

@reducingcrime.com highlights @dallaspd.bsky.social data-driven crime plan. Violent crime dropped 19%, 30% in key areas. How? • Hotspot policing •Place-based Network investigations • Focused deterrence on high-risk individuals Worth a closer look: www.linkedin.com/posts/reduci... #CrimeReduction

Today is the last day to apply for best consideration for our Deputy Director role! Apply now and make an impact in violence reduction! umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UMCP/job/Uni...

🚨 There's still time to apply! 🚨 The VRC is looking for an experienced Deputy Director to lead research, policy guidance, as well as day-to-day management and mid- and long-term planning. Apply today for best consideration. tinyurl.com/applyvrc

As @nytimes.com highlights, VRC-partner cities, City of Knoxville, @boston.gov, and @cityofstl.bsky.social are seeing violent crime drop faster than the national avg. Memphis is on track to reach this level. Violence reduction should be evidence-based, not partisan. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/u...

Data is now available through August for 29 of the 30 cities that had the most murders in 2024 (data through July for Indianapolis). Murder is down more than 21 percent in that sample.

Apply to be our next Deputy Director! This is a key role in shaping research, guiding policy, and driving strategic planning. Apply by September 12th for the best consideration. tinyurl.com/applyvrc

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social shared with @nytimes.com temporary crime surges may reduce violence briefly but doesn’t address the underlying issue. Lasting change comes from sustained investment in strategies that are focused, balanced, and fair. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/u...

Join Our Team! The VRC is seeking an experienced Deputy Director to advance our mission to save lives by stopping violence, using science. Apply by 9/12 for best consideration! tinyurl.com/applyvrc

The VRC is hiring! This is an important leadership position in a growing and dynamic organization that is saving lives. Please consider applying and joining us!

🚨 We're Hiring! 🚨 The VRC is seeking an experienced and energetic Deputy Director to help develop and grow our young organization by developing and executing policies to advance the VRC's mission to save lives. umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UMCP/job/Uni... Apply by 9/12 for best consideration!

New @jhucgvs.bsky.social survey: 72% of Americans support funding Community Violence Intervention programs. Investing in the people and places most at risk can save lives and deliver major returns. Survey: publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-g... doi.org/10.1162/daed...

Despite this article’s aggressive title, it’s important to note that good crime policy depends on cooperation and collaboration. Pleased to see the nonpartisan work of the @vrcinfo.bsky.social highlighted as an example. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/u...

This powerful piece highlights ROCA Inc's early work and how they are reaching young men in Baltimore at the highest risk of gun violence. A must-read on what real change looks like. www.thebanner.com/community/lo...

It’s not too late to apply! @cityofstl.bsky.social is hiring a Commissioner of Violence Prevention. This important leadership role guides strategies, partnerships, and solutions to reduce violence and build safer neighborhoods. Closes August 29, 2025 Apply now: careers.stlouis-mo.gov/careersectio...

In Baltimore, violent crime is dropping precipitously, in large part because of its Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). This article by program architects Jeremy Biddle and Ben Struhl does a great job of explaining how it works. www.vitalcitynyc.org/articles/wha...

Community violence is preventable, but only if we center trust, equity, and care. Co-authored by @buggs44.bsky.social and colleagues, LISC's white paper explores how cities can scale proven, community-led solutions to stop violence before it starts. Read here: www.lisc.org/media/filer_...

Last week Adam Gelb and I spoke to @npr.org about how best to understand the crime situation in Washington, DC. Take a look. www.npr.org/2025/08/19/n...

Looking for strategies to reduce community gun violence? The Council on Criminal Justice offers 10 essential actions for city leaders. Created by experts in law enforcement, public health, and communities, these digestible tools support violence prevention nationwide. counciloncj.org/10-essential...

@boston.gov reported 17 homicides in the first half of 2025—up 143% from 7 in the same period last year. The city ended 2024 with 24, the lowest in nearly 70 years. Experts like @thomasabt.bsky.social note that small increases can seem large after major progress. Link: www.axios.com/local/boston...

Here's a conversation I had with @shirinali.bsky.social from @slate.com concerning crime, violence, politics, and our nation's capital. Give it a read. slate.com/news-and-pol...

A new study co-led by #UMDCriminology Professor Peter Reuter reveals a system that quietly punishes innocent people while recovering only a small fraction of illicit funds. The consequences? Lost access. Frozen accounts. Lives disrupted. Read today: today.umd.edu/banks-effort... #UMDResearch

1/ The FBI's 2024 crime numbers are out. Violent crime overall decreased 4.5% compared to 2023, murder and declined 14.9%. Rapes, aggravated assault, and robberies dropped 5.2%, 3.0%, and 8.9% respectively. Property crime decreased 8.1%.

Pleased to see this from @ejdionne.bsky.social highlighting what's gone right with crime and violence over the past few years. As some might not know, violent crime nationally is way down from its recent peak in 2021, and property crime is also down. Read on. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

New research from @njgvrc.bsky.social finds rising local homicide rates, especially firearm-related, are linked to increased suicides in the following year. A powerful reminder that violence in communities ripples beyond today's headlines. Link: doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

Join one of VRC’s partner cities, @cityofstl.bsky.social, as the next Commissioner of Violence Prevention. This is a unique chance to lead meaningful, community-focused change in a city committed to public safety innovation. Apply now! careers.stlouis-mo.gov/careersectio...

Law enforcement SHOULD be collecting and sharing intelligence on those who would harm their communities, but "gang databases" are riddled with errors, do little to protect us, and threaten our civil liberties. theintercept.com/2025/07/22/i...

Here's a good piece from VRC colleague @cjsullivan.bsky.social on the benefits of community violence intervention. scholars.org/contribution...

New this week: crime plunged in the first half of 2025 including massive drops in murder and auto theft. My look at the nation's crime trends so far this year: jasher.substack.com/p/assessing-...

As #NationalGunViolenceAwarenessMonth comes to a close, we need to raise awareness, but we must also deliver results. Through data-driven strategies, VRC-supported cities are outpacing national trends in reducing violence. Change is possible. Our communities are proving it.

As we recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Month, it’s important to highlight a key trend: Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for youth in the U.S. ages 1 to 19. It has surpassed motor vehicle crashes, drug overdoses, and other accidents. www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Everyone who cares about public safety should read this op-ed. Thank you Chief Paul Noel for your leadership - this is the right message for this moment. www.knoxnews.com/story/opinio...

Our thoughts are with Mayor Young and his family. No public official should have to endure this. Ironically, Mayor Young is partnering with the @vrcinfo.bsky.social to save lives and stop violence, the very issue the perpetrator claims to care about. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

As it is National Gun Violence Awareness Month, the VRC is committed to deepening public understanding of the crisis. Reducing gun violence starts with recognizing that we’re not facing one issue but four different problems, each requiring its own approach. Let’s break them down.