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Local violence prevention program works to stop crime before it happens

The sounds and sights of violence sometimes blur together.

“I take it personally. It’s intimate to me. I’m still losing friends to this day,” said Jalal Black.

But the impact of each of those violent acts lives on.

“Just because all the tape is gone and the blood has been washed up, that doesn’t mean the situation is over,” Godfrey McCray said.

So when do you take that step to change?

“Just coming from it, losing a brother, losing seven first cousins to homicide and gun violence, at some point you say enough is enough,” Lee Davis said.

That’s just what Davis did. With grant funding and the Greater Valley Coalition Against Violence, a new program called “Cure Violence” is up and running.

Simply put, the model started with training Black and McCray as two “violence interrupters” and placing them in Wilkinsburg.

“The job of a violence interrupter is to detect and interrupt any violence that may have occurred. If the violence has already occurred, you try to stop retaliation and the things that come after,” Black said.

That was three years ago. Black and McCray were the boots on the ground and the numbers don’t lie.

“It doesn’t seem like a lot, but four lives are significant. One life is very significant, but seeing four. And we also know behind the scenes how many situations we were able to get in between that could have become fatal or could have started a whole other line of trauma for someone’s family,” McCray said.

But even the harsh statistics don’t show the full story. McCray told Channel 11 that for every 10 to 20 situations he may stop because of retaliation, the number truly is more like 40 to 50.

So, what makes this violence prevention program different?

“We look at it as a public health epidemic. Violence is contagious just like any other disease,” Black said.

So, they work to stop the spread. Couple that with people from the community who can build the trust needed to step in the middle.

“I love my community. I love the people I’m around. I came from this. I know what it’s like to be hungry. I know what it’s like to be a hustler, to be shot at, to shoot at people,” Davis said.

About a year and a half ago, the program expanded into the Woodland Hills area. McCray said they added in two more interrupters and they’ve seen a 20 to 30% drop in homicides.

While some work is reactive to shootings, a lot is proactive. It may come in the form of walking the streets and talking or running programs to help the youth.

At the end of the day, it’s all about being able to relate to the person on the other side.

“Maybe you just need someone to talk to so we can refer you to a counselor or therapist, maybe your biggest issue is your financial situation isn’t right, if your financial situation isn’t right how can you be right,” McCray said.

Now, Allegheny County is making at least a $50 million commitment over five years to expand this program. The communities included are some of the hardest hit when it comes to gun violence.

“Being able to call a guy who might say, ‘Do you know this kid over there? He’s in my neighborhood and your neighborhood.’ We will be able to chase down and get in front of situations a lot better,” Black said.

As this group of three plans to grow their program with this funding, they hope their community’s success inspires others to step up in these new areas.

“You asked earlier if I’m scared. I’m more scared not to do anything when you got children. I want my children to play outside and not have to worry about nobody riding past and shooting,” Black said.

Because they believe you have to lead by example.

“You change somebody’s mind, you can change somebody’s heart and change somebody’s thoughts and that changes somebody’s life,” Davis said.

Then hopefully inspire the next generation to join the fight.

“I always tell them choose life over death. There is enough death going around we need to live,” Black said.

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