Unlocking Solutions: Reshaping Tallahassee's response to gun violence
Unquestionably, one of the most pressing issues facing Tallahassee is addressing the escalating gun violence plaguing our capital city. This crisis demands immediate attention and concerted efforts from our elected leaders. Their role is pivotal, as we have entrusted them with the responsibility to navigate our community through adversity and find innovative solutions to its most urgent challenges.
It is disheartening to hear elected officials throw their hands up in resignation, implying that our predicament is nearly insurmountable. When leaders limit their action to mere advocacy, education, and providing law enforcement, they fall short of fulfilling their duty to the community. We entrust these individuals with positions of power to inspire hope, navigate complexities, seek out creative problem-solving solutions, and wield influence over policies that ensure our safety. Surrendering to defeat should never be an option.
Back in 2017, while I was studying at Harvard Law School, I wrote a 40-page thesis paper specifically addressing the issue of crime in Tallahassee and potential solutions. The conclusion was simple: crime is solvable. Tallahassee is not the first community to face an epidemic of gun violence; lessons from successful interventions elsewhere are waiting to be learned and implemented.
For instance, Cincinnati’s Placed-based Investigations of Violent Offender Territories (PIVOT) program is a nationally recognized model of success. Launched in 2016, it has achieved a remarkable 75% year-over-year reduction in gun violence. This data-driven solution is rooted in on a tripartite strategy: enforcement, targeted place-based strategies, and innovative problem-solving. PIVOT combines focused deterrence in high-crime street segments with place network interventions, such as neighborhood enhancement programs, forging a sustainable solution to crime.
Similarly, from 2008 to 2018, Omaha, Nebraska saw an impressive 74% decrease in gun violence. This achievement is largely attributed to Omaha 360, a transformative initiative launched in 2009. Collaborating with nonprofits, private enterprises, neighborhood associations, churches, and local law enforcement, Omaha 360 pioneers a holistic approach to reducing gun violence and building stronger police-community relations. It coordinates resources and strategies to address immediate threats and root causes alike.
Other communities have found success through Community-based Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, particularly those employing the violence interruption model. These models seek to reduce gun violence through meaningful engagement with individuals at the center of gun violence, building trust and personal relationships to better mediate conflicts. In the South Bronx, New York, the area served by the Cure Violence program witnessed a 63% decrease in gun-related victimization. Likewise, after implementing its own CVI program, Operation Peacemaker Fellowship, Richmond, California saw a 43% reduction in gun-related fatalities and assaults.
These solutions must be pursued in tandem with proactive efforts addressing underlying causes. Crime is a symptom of broader injustices, notably poverty. Crime rates align with high school dropout rates, which in turn correlate with third-grade literacy rates. While these issues may seem confined to the realm of childhood, they often stem from family dynamics. Truancy in elementary-aged children, for instance, is most often linked to parental issues. Thus, engaging with at-risk children and families is crucial, dismantling cycles of generational poverty and illuminating alternative pathways for our youth.
We have entrusted our leaders to spearhead solutions in the face of our challenges. Yet, the current approach in our city fails to deliver results. There are blueprints of effective approaches across the country. I sincerely hope our leaders pause and realize the transformative potential that government wields in confronting gun violence. Through focused and intentional efforts, we can redirect our community toward a path of hope and compassion. The moment to act has arrived.
Patrick O'Bryant is an attorney with Messer Caparello, P.A.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: The time is now to reshape Tallahassee's response to gun violence
