Trained violence interrupters and outreach workers prevent shootings by identifying and mediating potentially lethal conflicts in the catchment area and following up to ensure that the conflict does not reignite. Interrupters and other staff work separately from law enforcement and must remain independent to maintain the credibility needed to work with those at the highest risk.

• Prevent Retaliations: When a shooting happens, trained violence interrupters immediately take action in the community and at the hospital to cool down emotions and prevent retaliations — working with the victims, friends, and family of the victim, and anyone else who is connected with the event.
• Mediate Ongoing Conflicts: Workers identify ongoing conflicts by talking to key community members about ongoing disputes, recent arrests, recent prison releases, and other situations and use mediation techniques to resolve them peacefully.
• Keep Conflicts ‘Cool’: Workers follow up with conflicts for as long as needed, sometimes for months, to ensure the conflict does not become violent.

Trained outreach workers implement a culturally appropriate and trauma-informed approach to reduce the risk of those most likely to commit violence and to promote health equity. Outreach workers meet those at the highest risk where they are, talking to them about the costs of using violence and helping them to obtain the social services they need — such as job training and drug treatment.

• Access Highest Risk: Workers utilize their trust with high-risk individuals to establish contact, develop relationships, and work with the people most likely to be involved in violence.
• Change Behaviors: Workers engage with high-risk individuals to convince them to reject the use of violence by discussing the cost and consequences of violence and teaching alternative responses to situations.
• Case Management: Workers develop a caseload of clients with whom they work intensively — seeing clients several times a week and assisting with their needs such as drug treatment, employment, and leaving gangs.

Workers engage leaders in the community as well as residents, local business owners, faith leaders, service providers, and the high-risk — conveying the message that the residents, groups, and the community do not support violence.

• Respond to Every Shooting in Catchment: Whenever a shooting occurs within the Cure Violence catchment area, workers organize a response where dozens of community members voice their objections to the shooting.
• Organize Community Activities and Events: Workers coordinate community events and activities to demonstrate and strengthen the community’s commitment against violence.
• Distribute Materials: Workers distribute materials that promote the rejection of the use of violence.
• Coordinate with Existing and New Community Activities: Workers work closely with and support existing community events and facilitate new events in the community.