Community members planting seeds of peace in a city garden.

Cure Violence: Does It Really Work? New Evidence from New York City

Lena Kashyap in Law & Justice August 2025 • 3 min read.

"A deep dive into the effectiveness of Cure Violence programs in reducing gun violence, with surprising findings from the Big Apple."

Gun violence remains a pressing concern in the United States, despite recent declines from pandemic highs. In response, cities are increasingly turning to community violence intervention (CVI) programs like Cure Violence, which aims to reduce shootings by mediating conflicts, changing community norms, and treating high-risk individuals. But does it really work? That's the question researchers are tackling with increasing rigor.

A new study analyzing New York City's Cure Violence initiative provides compelling evidence of its effectiveness. Using data on NYC shootings from 2006 to 2023, researchers assessed the program's impact using both difference-in-differences and event study models, offering a robust evaluation of its real-world effects.

This article delves into the key findings of the Cure Violence study, exploring its impact on shooting rates, cost-benefit ratio, and broader policy implications. We'll examine how this innovative approach is reshaping the landscape of violence prevention and what it means for communities across the country.

Cure Violence: A Community-Based Approach

Community members planting seeds of peace in a city garden.

Cure Violence operates on the principle that violence is a learned behavior that can be treated using public health strategies. By employing "credible messengers" from the community, the program aims to:

This model seeks to create lasting change by addressing the root causes of violence and fostering a culture of peace within affected neighborhoods.

Mediating Conflicts: Stopping disputes before they escalate into violence.
Treating High-Risk Individuals: Providing support and resources to those most likely to be involved in gun violence.
Changing Community Norms: Promoting non-violent attitudes and behaviors within the community.

The NYC study provides a comprehensive analysis of Cure Violence's impact, utilizing a rich dataset and rigorous statistical methods to assess its effectiveness.

The Future of Cure Violence

The NYC study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that community-based violence intervention programs like Cure Violence can be an effective tool for reducing gun violence. By addressing the root causes of violence and fostering community-led solutions, these programs offer a promising path towards creating safer and more peaceful neighborhoods. As policymakers continue to grapple with the challenge of gun violence, Cure Violence and similar CVI strategies deserve serious consideration as part of a comprehensive approach.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2406.02459,

Title: Do Cure Violence Programs Reduce Gun Violence? Evidence From New York City

Subject: econ.gn q-fin.ec

Authors: Rachel Avram, Eric J. Koepcke, Alaa Moussawi, Melissa Nuñez

Published: 04-06-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What is the primary goal of the Cure Violence program?

The primary goal of the Cure Violence program is to reduce shootings by mediating conflicts, changing community norms, and treating high-risk individuals. This is achieved by employing 'credible messengers' from the community to address the root causes of violence and foster a culture of peace within affected neighborhoods. The program seeks to create lasting change by applying public health strategies to treat violence as a learned behavior, rather than a criminal act.

How does Cure Violence attempt to reduce gun violence in communities?

Cure Violence attempts to reduce gun violence through a three-pronged approach: mediating conflicts to stop disputes before they escalate, treating high-risk individuals by providing them with support and resources, and changing community norms by promoting non-violent attitudes and behaviors. The NYC study specifically analyzes how effectively these strategies work in reducing shootings.

What methods did the New York City study use to evaluate the Cure Violence initiative?

The New York City study used a rich dataset of shootings from 2006 to 2023. Researchers utilized both difference-in-differences and event study models to assess the program's impact, offering a robust evaluation of its real-world effects. These rigorous statistical methods allowed for a comprehensive analysis of Cure Violence's effectiveness in reducing gun violence within the city.

What are the key components of the Cure Violence model, and how do they contribute to its success?

The key components of the Cure Violence model are mediating conflicts, treating high-risk individuals, and changing community norms. Mediating conflicts involves intervening in disputes before they turn violent, thus preventing shootings. Treating high-risk individuals provides crucial support and resources to those most likely to be involved in gun violence, offering them a path away from it. Changing community norms fosters non-violent attitudes and behaviors, which helps create a safer environment where violence is less likely to occur. The success of Cure Violence hinges on the effective integration of these three components within the community setting.

What are the policy implications of the Cure Violence approach, and why should policymakers consider it?

The Cure Violence approach has significant policy implications because it offers a community-based violence intervention (CVI) strategy to address gun violence. The NYC study, along with other evidence, suggests that Cure Violence can be an effective tool for reducing gun violence. Policymakers should consider Cure Violence and similar CVI strategies because they offer a promising path toward creating safer neighborhoods by addressing the root causes of violence and fostering community-led solutions. As policymakers grapple with the ongoing challenge of gun violence, Cure Violence deserves serious consideration as part of a comprehensive approach to violence prevention.