Key Elements of CVI

CVI efforts will look different in each community, but impactful interventions share several traits in common. They rely on authentic engagement with community members and strong collaborative partnerships. They collect data and select interventions that are grounded in community needs and evidence about what works. And they understand that violence is driven by social determinants of safety and thus focus on the holistic needs of the individuals and communities they serve.

Read more about the key elements of CVI approaches below.

Authentic community engagement and feedback

Residents, community-based organizations, businesses, and other local stakeholders know the most about the needs of their communities. They therefore have a key role to play in designing, implementing, and sustaining public safety strategies tailored to the community’s needs. Building collective efficacy and mutual trust among residents, community institutions, and law enforcement is critical to addressing community violence. That means engaging community members in planning, carrying out, and evaluating CVI strategies.

In most cases, intentional efforts will be needed to increase community and resident engagement in shaping and implementing CVI approaches. These efforts must include not just the "usual" voices, but all of those who are impacted by community violence.

Important activities include:

Convening residents, businesses, community-serving organizations, local government, law enforcement and other stakeholders
Ensuring equity and inclusion when bringing people to the table
Building trust and supporting collective healing
Translating community vision into a plan and a set of concrete actions

Learn more about community engagement in CVI Checklist Step 1: Engage Community Members and Conduct a Community Violence Assessment and Step 4: Setting CVI Up for Success

More resources on community engagement

Partnership and collaboration

Strong cross-sector partnerships are the key to any community initiative. CVI requires collaboration across a team of diverse, multi-sector partners that build a common vision and structure for their strategic approach to violence prevention. Collaborations should include stakeholders from across the community, including residents and community-serving nonprofit organizations, as well as public sector agencies and local businesses. There should be a strong lead agency that can manage a cross-sector process with many moving parts.

Important activities include:

Identifying strategic partners, including community-based organizations, law enforcement, and service providers
Defining partner roles and responsibilities and ensuring accountability
Ensuring effective communication and coordination

Learn more about partnership and collaboration in CVI Checklist Step 2: Form a Community Collaboration and Step 4: Setting CVI Up for Success

More resources on partnership and collaboration

Research and evidence-informed planning

It is important to use data and research to guide the local CVI strategy. Data helps paint a clear picture of what the community’s specific violence challenges are, where they are occurring, and when. Crime and victimization data, along with data about the community’s available assets and resources, helps drive selection of appropriate strategies. In turn, it is important to look at the research to develop an evidence-informed CVI strategy that is tailored to the needs of the community.

Important activities include:

Finding relevant data
Ensuring data quality
Performing a community violence scan or audit
Examining root causes of violence
Identifying community assets and opportunities that CVI strategies can build on
Using data-informed strategy selection
Understanding and mitigating risk in different approaches

Learn more about research and planning in CVI Checklist Step 1: Engage Community Members and Conduct a Community Violence Assessment, Step 3: Implement CVI, and Step 4: Setting CVI Up for Success

More resources on research and planning

Integration with holistic community revitalization efforts

There is a strong link between public safety and the “social determinants of safety,” such as housing, education, health, and employment. Therefore, a CVI approach should be integrated into broader community building and revitalization efforts, as part of a holistic community safety ecosystem. This can include efforts to improve environmental conditions linked to crime, such as cleaning up vacant lots or repairing abandoned properties, as well as efforts to expand educational and economic opportunity for adults and youth who are involved or at risk of becoming involved with community violence.

Important activities include:

Coordination with other efforts that address social determinants of safety
Examination of physical conditions that increase risk for community violence and making changes to the environment to deter violence
Connecting people with wraparound services such as coaching, mentorship, behavioral health, and trauma response supports

Learn more about integrating CVI in broader community initiatives in CVI Checklist Step 4: Setting CVI Up for Success

More resources on comprehensive efforts

Sustainability and continuity

To maintain positive outcomes, CVI partners must continuously assess and devote fiscal resources to their CVI efforts. Community conditions and needs may change over time and partners must be equipped to respond as new concerns and opportunities arise.

Important activities include:

Building in sustainability to initial planning with both short- and long-term outcomes
Securing dedicated resource allocation for programs, participants, and staff
Maintaining ongoing relationships, engagement, and inclusion efforts
Performing evaluation, learning, and continuous improvement
Communicating effectively about successes to attract and keep support for the interventions
Providing ongoing support for CVI workers to address trauma, vicarious trauma, professional development, and other needs

Learn more about sustainability in CVI Checklist Step 4: Setting CVI Up for Success, Step 5: Measure Success, and Step 6: Sustain Success and Continuous Improvement

More resources on sustainability

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