CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two months into its launch, Charlotte's "Alternative to Violence" interruption team is mentoring more than a dozen at-risk youth in an effort to stop violence in the Beatties Ford neighborhood before it ever happens.
“We’re helping them see through behavioral change so they’re not continually perpetuating this cycle of violent crime that’s occurring in that corridor,” says Federico Rios, who helps oversee the city's Equity, Mobility, and Immigration Integrations initiatives.
The city implemented the 'ATV' program through training provided by Cure Violence Global, which is an evidence-based violence reduction strategy. Other large cities across the country have used the program city leaders laud as a scientifically proven method to reduce shootings and killing by a 40-70% rate.
Back in August, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County invested half a million dollars, before Wells Fargo and the Greenlight Foundation chipped in an additional $1.3 Million.
"The program has a site supervisor who oversees a team that includes two outreach workers," Rios explained. “They bring in caseloads of 15 participants each.”
The corps of community mentors all have crime in their background to better relate to the at-risk youth involved. Each participant is screened and evaluated before the list of applicants is narrowed down to those deemed the best fit for the program.
“We connect them to whatever the most adequate and necessary resource is at the moment,” said Rios.
For some youth, help might include employment opportunities, while academics or athletics might be a need for others. Right now there are 20 participants paired with mentors, with the hope to expand outreach exponentially.
“Across the city, we’re looking at several corridors that have pronounced violent crime incidents occurring," Rios said.
Contact Fred Shropshire at fred@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.