JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A national organization called Cure Violence is trying to convince city leaders to spend a half million dollars a year for three years. The organization claims its model of 'treating violent crime like a disease' will reduce shootings and murders in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville had 21 murders in under two months, putting the city on pace to being the deadliest year since 2007.
Cure Violence says its programs contributed to a 56 percent reduction in killings in Baltimore, and a 64 percent drop in shootings in New York City.
Its program in Chicago’s West Garfield Park area saw a 67 percent reduction in violent crime, according to Rev. Marshall Hatch, who helped launch it.
The program died out within a few years because of tensions between law enforcement and community leaders, Hatch said.
But Cure Violence tells a different story. The program dissolved because of budget cuts, according to Marcus McAllister, Cure Violence national trainer.
"It's unfortunate, but it's something that's sometimes just out of our hands,” McAllister said. “We're out there doing the work."
The work they do is training local leaders to intervene with people at risk of committing a violent crime. They also respond to every single shooting, and counsel victims and their families to prevent retaliation killings.
Community leaders like Dana Miller are excited, but cautious.
"I just pray that this program doesn't drop the ball,” Miller said. “That they are true to what they are saying and they're here to help out the community, not just for a political reason or financial, to line their pockets."
McAllister says much of the funding goes to paying the salaries of team members most of whom are local leaders. In cases where funding dries up, Cure Violence continues to support them, helping those leaders apply for grants, writing letters and fundraising.
"We don't turn our back on nobody just for the fact that they might have lost funding after three years,” McAllister said.
Cure Violence held a series of community meetings Tuesday and Wednesday. It expects to present what it learned to the mayor, the sheriff and the state attorney’s office Thursday.
If the city approves the partnership, Cure Violence will start work in Jacksonville this summer, McAllister said.