Youth violence prevention program succeeding in Chicago, university study says

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Researchers and anti-violence activists say they want to expand programs that are now successfully keeping young people away from gun violence.

Professor Jonathan Davis with the University of Oregon says the University of Chicago Crime Lab study clearly shows that the Choose to Change Community Violence Intervention (C2C®) program and others like it have sharply reduced the numbers of young people engaging in gun violence, even with more limited efforts.

“All those things have been shown to work, but I was really blown away that we found such large effects, given how low intensity the intervention was,” Davis says.

Jadine Chou, chief of safety and security for the Chicago Public Schools, says when they saw the results of the research, the District wanted to adapt the programs for the entire system.

“When [the] University of Chicago and YAP [Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.] and Brightpoint said, ‘Hey, we’re interested in supporting you, CPS, how can we do this?’ They created this program guide with the idea in mind that we know that every community is different, every community has different needs and dynamics,” Chou says.

David Williams, chief program officer for YAP, says their teams work with teenagers on the street, providing alternatives. Choose to Change brings in more counseling.

“Our approach is a community-based, wraparound approach where we provide services and supports in the community, and we were very fortunate to partner with Brightpoint and bring together this cognitive behavioral therapy component to enhance our work,” Williams says.

Julie Noobler is director of mental health and wellness, for Brightpoint, the family services organization, and says the partnership is effective.

“What sort of sets Choose to Change apart from other school-based or community-based violence prevention programming is that it's not one or the other, it’s both, and they’re happening simultaneously and interwoven together,” Noobler says.

Advocates are trying to get the word out in hopes of obtaining the resources to offer such programs on a wider scale.

WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore examines violence prevention that is working on this week’s “At Issue” program. A re airing of the episode is Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. Click here to listen .

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