The Office of Safe Neighborhoods is working to reduce the number of under-18s killed in shootings across the city. To this end, it has launched the Group Violence Intervention Juvenile (GVIJ) pilot program, focused on young people aged 12 to 17 who are at the highest risk of involvement in gun violence. The organizers are Deion Sumpter, GVIJ program director, and Shondell Revell, executive director of the Office of Safe Neighborhoods. This strategy includes providing social services, collaborating with the police and promoting youth engagement.
The pilot program will initially serve Police District 22, with plans to expand citywide. Youth can be referred to the program by the Philadelphia Police Department, the Juvenile Probation Department, the District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Human Services and Police District 22.
Funding for the pilot program was partly secured through the support of Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon and a federal investment of $615,000. “Gun violence takes an unacceptable toll on our children and families in Philadelphia, but that doesn’t have to be our reality,” said Congresswoman Scanlon. She thanked Mayor Cherelle Parker and Adam Geer, director of the Office of Public Safety, for their collaboration in working toward a safer and brighter future for the city’s children and youth.
The mayor recognized the leadership of Deion Sumpter and Adam Geer, who demonstrate what can be achieved when everyone works together in city government. She added that the Domestic Violence Prevention Intervention program reflects her administration’s commitment to creating real and lasting connections between Philadelphians and the government to improve public safety in urban areas.
The GVIJ pilot program was launched on November 1 in Police District 22. For more information about the program, you can contact Deion Sumpter at deion.sumpter@phila.gov.
Este contenido forma parte de Every Voice, Every Vote, un proyecto colaborativo gestionado por The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. El apoyo principal para Every Voice, Every Vote en 2024 y 2025 lo proporciona William Penn Foundation con fondos adicionales de The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy y Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation y Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. Para obtener más información sobre el proyecto y ver una lista completa de los patrocinadores, visite Every Voice, Every Vote . El contenido editorial es creado sin intervención de los donantes del proyecto.
