City of Detroit, MI
12/02/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/02/2024 15:58
After one year of Detroit Community Violence Initiative: All 6 CVI Zones record historic reductions in violent crime of 37%-83% in last quarter
- All six Community Violence Intervention (CVI) groups out-perform citywide violent crime drop of 35% between August-October, led by Friends and Family Group on East Side with 83% reduction.
- Dramatic results in Detroit are a case study in effective community-based solutions to violence reduction
- Public Safety Trust Fund being considered in Lansing would allow continuation expansion of program
For the first time since the City created its innovative ShotStoppers community violence intervention (CVI) initiative in July 2023, all six partner groups have achieved reductions in shootings and homicides in their zones that exceed the citywide average reduction - several of them by huge margins.
From August through October, Detroit saw a citywide average drop in shootings and homicides of 35% outside of the ShotStopper zones compared to the same time frame during the two prior years. Inside the respective ShotStopper zones, however, violent crime plummeted from 37% to an incredible 83% during the same timeframe.
CVI Group Aug-Oct Change
Non-CVI Zones -35%
New Era -37%
Detroit 300 -47%
Force Detroit -52%
Wayne Metro/Denby Alliance/Camp Restore - 61%
Detroit People's Community -73%
Detroit Friends & Family -83%
Mayor Duggan praised the six groups for their results and said that their work, along with the great work being done by the Detroit Police Department, is writing a new chapter in Detroit's public safety.
"This is what happens when you combine excellent law enforcement strategy from the Detroit Police Department with excellent community-based prevention groups.," said Mayor Duggan. "All six zones that combined both strategies exceeded the violence-reduction of police alone. These results show we have cracked the code in a significant way and now cities around the country can look to the Detroit model for reducing violent crime."
This map shows the dramatic reduction in shootings and homicides in the ShotStoppers zones since the program began.Police Chief Todd Bettison said that he expects the city's 2024 crime data to shatter last year's results, which included a 57-year low number of homicides. As of today, Detroit had 17% fewer homicides through the month of November and nearly 25% fewer nonfatal shootings than it did at the same time during last year's historic low.
"We are thrilled to see such transformative results in our mission to reduce violence and bring hope to our communities," said Negus Vu of Detroit People's Community. "I'd like to thank Mayor Mike Duggan and Chief of Police Todd Bettison for giving us this opportunity. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our outreach workers, mentors, and health specialists, who work tirelessly to mediate conflicts, provide support to high-risk individuals, and rebuild trust among neighbors."
Ray Winans, whose Friends and Family group's CVI area saw the largest reduction in the quarter said, simply, "Violence if predictable, preventable and curable."
Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund could be CVI Funding for the Future
Mayor Mike Duggan and a coalition of supporters say the numbers are the reason they hope the Michigan Legislature will soon approve the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund. The new funding will allow Detroit to add two new groups and create a new CVI zone near I-75 and 7 Mile, an area that remains one of Detroit's most violent.
Council President Mary Sheffield said she plans to introduce an ordinance that would dedicate one-third of the Trust Fund revenues the city would receive exclusively to continue and expand effective community violence intervention work including ShotStoppers.
"The steady decrease in homicides and overall violence in our city is a powerful testament to the success of reimagining how we address crime," said City Council President Mary Sheffield. "The dedicated work of organizations across Detroit has made a significant impact on the safety and well-being of our residents and neighborhoods. I am proud to support our CVI program, which demonstrates the transformative power of listening to our communities and collaborating to meet their needs. This is what happens when we come together with a shared commitment to improving the quality of life for all Detroiters."
"You're only as safe as you feel, and real safety comes from prevention and a commitment to the community," said Councilmember Fred Durhal. "The success of the ShotStoppers program lies in its ability to be present in the community-working directly with residents to address root causes of violence, mentor at-risk individuals, and resolve conflicts before they escalate. By investing in people and fostering trust, this proactive approach is a game-changer in how we build safer neighborhoods across Detroit."
Mayor Duggan showed how the violent crime "hot spots" that are the six ShotStoppers areas have quieted down significantly since the program began - to the point that some ShotStoppers areas have few or no remaining hotspots - and that two additional areas of remaining hotspots could be added to the program with the dedicated revenues from the Trust Fund. (See maps)
"This has been a new concept in Lansing, but through Representative Far hat's leadership, he was able to get bipartisan support for this legislation and get it to the house. We're excited what's going to come over the next couple weeks and making sure it gets top the Governor's desk because it is incredibly important. Representative Joe Tate said, "Detroit has been leading the charge in being creative around gun violence reduction and we want to show support in Lansing," Tate finished.
"This public safety trust fund, means nearly $20 million a year will come back to the city of Detroit. That means long term sustainable investments in the city. Detroit gave us the blueprint to take this statewide, so let's get this done," Representative Alabas Farhat said.
CVI group partners Ray Winans, Detroit Friends & Family CVI partners Negus Vu, Detroit People's CommunityHow ShotStoppers works
ShotStoppers was made possible with a $10 million investment from President Biden's American Rescue Plan Act. Each ShotStoppers group receives a base budget of $175,000 per quarter to implement their violence prevention strategy. Each group can earn up to $175,000 more in performance grants each quarter by achieving reductions in violence. While each group's strategy varies, many use staff with lived experience of violence to intervene and peacefully resolve disputes before they turn violent, as well as mentor at-risk individuals to help them pursue other paths.
Performance is measured by comparing the "CVI Score" - equal to homicides multiplied by two plus non-fatal shootings - within each group's Zone to the same quarter during the prior year. To earn a performance grant, a grantee must 1) reduce the CVI Score below its previous level and 2) achieve a decline at least 10 percentage points greater than the decline in areas of the City not served by CVI. During the first year of the program, groups had to beat the prior year level; in year two, groups are graded against the level over the prior two years. Groups that beat the citywide trend by 10 - 19 percentage points earn $87,500, and groups that beat the trend by 20 percentage points or more earn $175,000 for that quarter.
Based on the program results so far, Mayor Duggan and Deputy Mayor Bettison have extended the program for one year (from summer 2024 through summer 2025) for five groups: FORCE Detroit, Detroit Friends and Family, New Era Community Connection, Detroit People's Community, and Detroit 300.