by Dominique Martin, Criminal Justice Policy Analyst 

In discussions around making our communities safer, we need to understand how we got here. For generations, systemic policies like redlining didn’t just keep people of color out of certain neighborhoods- they blocked entire communities from building wealth and accessing better resources.¹ Today, working class families of color can still struggle to meet their basic needs due to the lack of living wages, affordable housing, and well-funded public education.² 

This history matters because it directly affects how violence, particularly gun violence, impacts our young people. Communities of color bear the brunt of community violence, which occurs when people intentionally use violence, such as bullying, gang fights, shootings, or attacks, in public places against people they don’t know.^{3 4} Centering a racial justice approach to gun violence, as opposed to a criminal legal system approach, focuses on tackling systemic racism and the inequalities that stem from it.⁵

Impact of Gun Violence on Black and Brown Youth 

The numbers tell a stark story: guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-17 and the second leading cause of death for young people aged 10-24, ahead of motor vehicle accidents and cancer.^{6 7 8} Even more troubling is how this violence disproportionately affects communities of color. 

Black people face gun homicide rates that are 13 times higher than their white counterparts.⁷ And while overall violent crime has been trending downwards since the 1990s, gun violence continues to devastate our communities, with Black and Latino youth facing doubled homicide rates over the past decade.^{10 11 12}

But statistics only tell part of the story. When young people experience violence - whether they’re being shot, being shot at, or witnessing a shooting—it creates a ripple effect. Research shows that exposure to gun violence doubles the probability that a young person will commit a violent act within two years.³ When young people experience problems in the home and witness violence in their neighborhoods, this increases the risk of involvement with violence, creating a cyclical effect. Research suggests less than 1% of a city’s population is connected to up to 70% of a city’s violence, and nearly half of interpersonal assaults among youth are motivated by revenge.^{14 15 16}

Community-Led Solutions That Work 

But communities aren’t sitting idle, they are at the forefront of change towards safer communities. Community Violence Intervention (CVI) is a different approach to safety - it is a set of non-punitive, community-led strategies that are designed to interrupt the transmission of violence by engaging those at the highest risk through individually tailored support services.¹⁷ Using a holistic approach, a violence interrupter or credible messenger, such as a former gang member or survivor, can reach a community member at risk by meeting them where they are to prevent further violence. 

This approach is gaining serious support. The federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has committed $1.4 billion to violence-prevention and intervention programs between 2022 and 2026, including $94 million in Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative grants.¹⁸ 

In Virginia, we are seeing continued investment and support. Recognizing the serious need to address violent crime, the 2024 Virginia General Assembly appropriated $28m towards the Safer Communities Pilot Program, which integrates evidence-informed and community driven strategies to reducing youth violence. These programs include everything from afterschool programs and mentorships; connections to education and economic opportunities; and trauma-informed mental health care. Currently, the program is being implemented in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Roanoke, and Richmond.¹⁹

Success Stories in Action

Founded in 2014 by Bianca Myrick, a native of Petersburg, Virginia, Pretty Purposed was created with a vision of creating a world where girls are never limited by their circumstances. Working across multiple schools and community-based sites, Pretty Purposed uses community circles to help girls build friendships, learn conflict resolution skills, and foster joy. Thanks to Safe Communities Program funding, organizations like Pretty Purposed can expand their reach and impact. 

Looking Forward

Right now there’s growing momentum to expand these successful programs. This year, Senator Locke and Delegate Simonds sponsored budget amendments to expand the Safer Communities program to Newport News, Hampton, and Chesapeake. Currently, $7m is included in the Senate version of the budget to fund the program’s expansion. Groups like the Fund Our Schools Coalition and the Community Violence Coalition are pushing for these expansions because they have seen the results firsthand. 

At New Virginia Majority, we believe in shifting power to working-class communities of color, to create opportunities for everyone to thrive.  When we support community led solutions and address root causes of violence, we’re not just making our neighborhoods safer - we’re building a foundation for lasting change that benefits us all.

Want to learn more about our vision for change? Check out our Working Class People’s Agenda.

^{1.  https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/Addressing%20the%20Legacies%20of%20Historical%20Redlining.pdf}

^{2. https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1713&context=the-mall}

^{3. https://giffords.org/intervention/what-is-community-violence-intervention/}

^{4. https://giffords.org/intervention/what-is-community-violence-intervention/}

^{5. https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/root-causes-of-gun-violence/#:~:text=%2310.&text=Violence%20has%20a%20cyclical%20effect,endanger%20themselves%2C%20family%20and%20friends}

^{6. https://www.cdc.gov/community-violence/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/communityviolence/index.html}

^{7. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/2024/continuing-trends-five-key-takeaways-from-2023-cdc-provisional-gun-violence-data#:~:text=The%20CDC%27s%20data%20shows%20that,resulting%20in%201%2C476%20fewer%20death}

^{8. https://giffords.org/memo/safer-for-all-how-virginia-can-lead-the-nation-in-the-fight-against-gun-violence/} 

^{9. https://giffords.org/issues/community-violence/}

^{10. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/24/what-the-data-says-about-crime-in-the-us/sr_24-04-23_crime_3/}

^{11. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/2024/continuing-trends-five-key-takeaways-from-2023-cdc-provisional-gun-violence-data#:~:text=The%20CDC%27s%20data%20shows%20that,resulting%20in%201%2C476%20fewer%20deaths}

^{12. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/2024/continuing-trends-five-key-takeaways-from-2023-cdc-provisional-gun-violence-data#:~:text=The%20CDC%27s%20data%20shows%20that,resulting%20in%201%2C476%20fewer%20deaths}

^{13.  Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the PICO National Network, “Healing Communities in Crisis: Lifesaving Solutions to the Urban Gun Violence Epidemic” (2016).}

^{14. https://nnscommunities.org/strategies/group-violence-intervention/}

^{15. https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/files/nnsc_gmi_concentration_asc_v1.91.pdf}

^{16. Kivivuori, J., Savolainen, J., & Aaltonen, M. (2016). The revenge motive in delinquency: Prevalence and predictors.  Acta Sociologica, 59(1), 69–84.}

^{17.  https://giffords.org/intervention/what-is-community-violence-intervention/}

^{18. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/fact-sheet-two-years-bipartisan-safer-communities-act}

^{19. https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/item/2024/1/HB30/Enrolled/1/394/}