>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Awt Tw News.

Special first hand peacekeepers.

Iran does Friedman and tonight.

>> We hear from community members and stakeholders working to prevent and interrupt violence in Chicago's neighborhoods.

>> I'm trying heal my community, relieve them from the trauma that we experience.

>> Firsthand accounts from Chicago residents looking to keep their communities safe.

This as Chicago's violence prevention programs are facing an uncertain future as funding dries up.

>> We can't just lock people up throw away the key and forget they're there.

>> And we explore what policies are in place to address the root causes of violence and its impact on communities.

>> We'll kick things off right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The gym and K maybe family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation and the support of these donors.

>> First off tonight, Chicago's violence prevention programs are facing an uncertain future.

That's because Chicago's federal COVID-19 relief funds that helped pay for these programs are set to run out and with city and state officials grappling with multibillion-dollar deficits and little hope of help coming from Washington.

Questions remain over.

What happens next for these programs?

Our Heather Sharon joins us now with a deep dive into this uncertain moment for violence prevention efforts, header.

So let's start with the basics.

What exactly do we mean when we talk about violence, prevention community violence intervention?

Well, it is the theory that it is better to stop a crime or an incident of violence before it occurs rather than sending an officer after it happens to sort of enforce the law, make an arrest or provide emergency 8.

>> This seeks to address what some people call the root causes of crime abuse, trauma, poverty by dealing with those issues before people get involved with in a life of crime.

Do they work to stop crime and violence?

So the initial studies of these programs which I have long been sort of funded in Chicago by business and philanthropic groups say yes, they do.

But the issue is is that they have not been expanded citywide or to scale.

And until that happens, and these programs have a permanent place in the city and the state's budget.

It will not pay dividends to produce Chicago's crime rate, which of course, remains higher than other big cities like New York and Los Angeles.

So back in 2021 then Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced plans to use 136 million dollars in federal COVID-19 aid funds to fund the violence prevention efforts.

>> Were those promises fulfilled?

Know?

We've reported a lot about the problems that the city has had in getting those federal covid-relief funds out the door.

>> By the time she had left office, those pledges that being produced by nearly 40%.

And in fact, the city has only spent 44 million dollars nearly 2 billion dollars in federal COVID-19 relief on violence prevention programs.

Now the city has another 31 million dollars budgeted for these programs that they can spend through the end of 2026.

But after that, there's no clear source of funding state federal, local for these programs.

In that case, what happens next?

Well, it is a moment of great uncertainty for groups like Chicago CRED who are out there doing this work and say if they can only get a substantial amount of money, they can show that this is really the way to address crime and violence rather than hiring more police officers, which seems almost impossible at this moment.

But it's not clear that the city is going to dedicate necessary resources.

Meanwhile, of course, the folks on the ground who are doing that work, they have their work cut out for them.

Had a Sharon.

Thank you for your reporting.

Thanks.

Brandis.

And you can read Heather's full story as well as watch documentaries on local residents working to create peace in Chicago's neighborhoods.

>> It's all at W T Tw Dot com slash firsthand.

We're back with more right after this.

Violent crimes in Chicago declined between 2023 2024. peacekeepers across the city played an important role in interrupting in preventing violent crime in neighborhoods.

These violence prevention leaders are actively strategizing and organizing in their communities every day to improve safety and make a difference.

>> It's one want to see the community, These are men and women who live in the community.

So I used that as a rally point, You want to community become data.

Help me in this fight.

>> And here to talk about their work are Damien Morris chief program, officer of Violence Prevention at Breakthrough.

And Adrian Rodriguez, co-director of violence prevention at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.

Thanks to both for joining us as you so, let's take a look or actually start with you, Damien.

Sorry.

So of the Garfield Park experiences, some of the most violence in the city.

Why is this neighborhood such a hot spot?

>> Yeah.

So for a number of reasons, a 3rd of shooting, whether they are fatal and non-fatal, they actually come from other neighborhoods.

And so Bauer was building a relationship with partners, right?

able to cross collaborate.

Also step in and assist each other when mediation is right.

And East Garfield.

Park is a neighborhood that we see a group galleries in those neighborhoods and so increases with the virus as well.

>> Do you think people within the community have become desensitized to violence?

>> For sure right now we're working on changing their right is he has became the norm.

And so don't me doing the work along with my all my partners as well.

We're trying to change we backed peace.

>> Adrian in your documentary.

We see you making efforts to connect with the youth, especially with middle schoolers.

Why is it important to reach young people before they get to high school?

Most kids are trying to find themselves see a difference and a greater to a sophomore in high school and then difference from the sophomore in high school someone who's out of high school.

>> within a summer.

I've also seen kids, you know, change from being a good kid who doesn't know what they want to do to engage industry activity.

So we just want engage these youth with as many opportunities as they can experience, give them different experiences in the community with programming, mentor ship just providing them different life experiences.

While you know, grow into the teenage years.

>> So let's take a look.

There's a scene where you and your team you're working outside Clemente High School here.

That is.

>> I >> I just so this can also be dangerous work for you all as well.

Adrienne, how often are you intervening in moments like at the school, we support all the local schools.

So that includes or high school, North Grand High School, Roberto Clemente on Division Street.

There's 3 high schools that's to alternative high schools, pathways.

>> And I'll be so complicated.

Obviously, couple high school.

So that corridor from the vision of Western to vision, California sees so many different age groups demographic.

So we like to support that because we deal with it a lot weeks.

We have relationships with principles.

We have relationships with security guards.

So there's a fight in the school.

They're already messaging us to be prepared.

You know, furry retaliation after school, whether that's parents involved, friends involved, we're communicating so that we can make sure we get ahead of the crime.

>> also, you know you're the one getting in there, bringing up a physical fight with young people.

Tell me a little bit about like sort of the risks that you and and folks who do this work or taking.

we've put guns down.

I've stopped kids from hitting kids, other weapons.

Even a security is reluctant to jump in sometimes because of, you know, the red tape with the CPS.

>> What we want to do is just make sure that we're there prevent you know, harmful happening at the time.

So it's dangerous.

We were on while shooting this documentary was on the scene I guess, hot spot and there were shots that were fired.

So as outreach worker, it is a very dangerous job were there before the most of the time.

Probably 95% of the time and we never know what can happen.

You know, before that.

>> So research from the University of Chicago crime lab.

It shows a 7.3% reduction in violence between 2023 in 2024. violent crimes decreasing by 6.7% and non-fatal shootings decreasing right.

3.7% Damien.

Do you think this is sustainable Andorra these declines?

Are they different from in previous years?

>> On their very different because we're actually focusing on intervention.

That is very key, right on.

We actually we live really put our life on the line to save others.

And so I think that's very important.

But we also need some securities will in doing this.

He writes, So we need job security.

We need consistency is we have because the relationships that we have building.

They still from when I was the case mentioned now the chief program offices.

So they Ben and they've been involved.

I've been involved with them for years, right?

And so we need that consistent funding continue that momentum that we've gained.

So and as we mentioned earlier, federal COVID-19 aimed at reducing violence in the city are expected to be discontinued next year.

>> What are your concerns there?

Damian?

My concern is is is dead.

There's a shortage that we have to do.

A reduction in certain areas that we need, right.

The job still have to get done.

So you may have to cut some victim street outreach.

Some case managers.

>> But then we asking them.

And to do more right to go above and beyond.

For those who are still with us, right?

So I'm concerned about Age are in your documentary.

We see visit what was once a homeless encampment in Humble Park where there's there's sort of a personal moment for you there as well.

>> But how does homelessness contribute to violence in the community?

I talk about all the time when when we're doing case management for youth, part of our intake form this finding out if they have access this is stable home.

>> Employment, although the wraparound services when a youth doesn't have a safe space to go only there had a night that just leaves them to so many other.

I chances to get in you know, you know, you're engaging with people that you may not have engaged with because you're forced to be outside the accounts.

Your couch hopping.

So it just leads to a life that they don't want to be a part because they always want, you know, that they want to secure a. you know, on the here.

So, Caruso, you know it.

a cause of the violence.

>> Damien part of your walk work also involves creating community p circles.

What are are they important?

>> Yes, so they have very important because we went away from Noren who were on the block, right?

We we're from when used to govern ourselves.

And so the piece circles really pre Netback right.

Understanding who you resided next door or across the street from you, but then also the Peace Ark was designed know more about the individual in that circle.

And then the chances of you actually want to see done to that person is less like couple seconds left.

Adriana me give you the last word on this.

How this work impact your own mental health?

>> You try not to take it but it's hard to win.

You're attending a funeral when you're helping people set you know, for a week, it's hard, but we wake up every day knowing that our job.

Coast past, you kind of just it goes, it goes above and beyond.

For what we So, you know, I really believe in the work we do believe it's essential.

We talk about that at the Puerto Rican culture Center not just offering wrap-around services or services but essential services, a labor of love have some is what it sounds like, OK, I will have to leave it there because of folks want a got to watch documentaries continue.

Moore's agent Rodriguez, thank you so much for >> And to hear more about the work Chicagoans are doing to create peace in their communities.

You can check out our Web site.

It is all at W T Tw Dot com slash firsthand.

>> And up next, we explore the policies in place to address the root causes of violence.

In the struggle to make neighborhoods safer.

Some law enforcement agencies in court officials are working to find innovative approaches for some that means partnering with community organizations in peacekeepers working on the ground and officials are pushing for policies to address root causes of violence and help offenders repair their relationships with their communities.

Joining us to discuss these efforts are Patricia Spratt, a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court.

Catherine Bocanegra professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago whose work focuses on violence prevention community, mental health and criminal justice reform and ernest Cato Chief public safety officer at the Illinois Department of Corrections and former deputy chief commander of the Chicago Police Department, everyone.

Welcome and thank you for joining us.

So Judge Spratt, you oversee a restorative justice community court for young people with nonviolent misdemeanors or felonies.

And here's a bit of your firsthand documentary where you talk about that.

>> It's not like the criminal court where you don't have an opportunity to tell your story until you're being sentenced.

You have stored or justice courts returning offenders back to the community as fully participating, productive members of the community.

>> Judge House, what you do and also what this court does.

Also a part peacekeeping.

>> Restorative justice is peace keeping it is repairing the repairing the harm to the community, repairing the harm to a victim and repairing the harm to the >> offender him or herself.

And it we use peacekeeping.

We use the circles process to to.

Being the people back to their.

>> Bringing people together former the former relationship and within that relationship, they come to agreements of how to repair the harm.

And they changed the life of the person who's coming through it and also prevents them hopefully from a being incarcerated that and we have a wonderful lower of the street.

I said early one of those films, I said 16% 13 percent percent of a straight for the restorative justice participants.

Okay, we're gonna come back to that a little bit.

Catherine, want to get you in here because you also gave a speech is part of the firsthand talks series about the toll that nonviolence work takes on peacekeepers.

We just heard a little bit.

>> From Adrian in the last panel about that.

But here's a bit of your talk.

>> They attend.

>> Dozens of funerals a year off to of their own program.

Participants, but even of their own family members were co workers.

They are regularly, if not daily, exposed to gun violence and homicide scenes and they place their own personal safety at risk as they seek to intervene in these situations.

>> Catherine, what's the impact of of what you just described and that whole that that takes on the peacekeepers.

Give a relentless cycle, every trauma to station that community violence intervention workers confront has a deep hole.

>> On their professional effectiveness on their personal well-being on their family well-being.

And if it goes untreated and they go, there were calls on support.

It has ripple effects in the community.

>> Even in your talk, you a worker who wasn't taking care of himself.

Nobody was taking care of him and he ends up basically going back to prison.

>> Yes, absolutely.

I believe that healing and on healing is an essential ingredient for peacemaking, unresolved trauma perpetuates cycles of violence and unresolved trauma.

And our peacekeepers means that they can't be as effective as they can be in communities in preventing shootings and violence.

And creating stability and peace.

Chief K, do you get a first-hand talk speech about the importance of visibility in communities in order to reduce violence?

>> What do you mean by that?

And what does that look like?

presence is very important.

>> We talk about visibility is not just a patient.

It's about being a part of the community being part of the community have relationships that are necessary.

Those relationships will turn into information that's needed to ensure that community stay safe as possible.

>> Judge Brett, we know that the recidivism rate, as you said, for people who graduate from your courts 13% within one year of enrollment versus 65%.

For those who are adjudicated through the traditional court system.

How does this program reduce recidivism?

How does the work that you do mean that folks are not committing another crime and going back to prison, the work that the young people do in the circle process with the circle keepers and others who are sitting in circle with them.

>> Forms relationships.

And forms trust.

We tell them when they come into the court that whatever they say in a restorative process is privileged.

So nothing they say leak out and come back and hurt them.

So that fosters feeling of safety interest within the circle come to some agreement with the people in the community of what they need to do to repair the harm to advance their own goals and coming out of the courts successfully.

>> And they also a complete some steps, right?

They there's sort of a plan for them to repair this harm.

That's the repair of agreement, OK, repair, partnering think that's what he's looking for.

But what are the circumstances for those 13% for those who who do end up percent baiting?

What are the circumstances that leads to that?

under what circumstances, someone unfortunately failed.

>> don't come out of the community.

They stick with group that they've been hanging out with before they were arrested.

We don't get to talk to those people, though, because they're back in jail.

So can't.

Can't find out why the went back Committing crimes.

You know that they they they stop showing up date.

>> It sounds like you probably end up losing communication with them and they working a program basically what once they've graduated from the program, we generally don't hear back from them.

Mostly because they're working harder.

They're in school or there doing other things that they for their own betterment for the betterment of the community.

It's probably good.

They're living their think need to hear from him.

>> Catherine, what to support look like for violence.

Intervention workers?

You know, we just heard Damien mentioned, you know, of a little bit of job security, their jobs and not typical in that they can get a contract.

You know, everybody else we want better pay and better benefits and better hours.

But what does it look like for these folks?

Absolutely.

A livable wage, a robust benefits package.

Job security not going grand.

2 grant a worrying the government.

>> Funding could be cut short.

But in addition to that, there are wellness strategies that can be implemented by their employers, by the organizations they working for the value rest and recovery.

That value decompressing after critical incident in the community.

And that also give them space to breathe and take a vacation and invest in their own professional development.

All of those >> strategies communicate something really important to our frontline peace keepers, which is that you're valuing extends beyond what you produce and you're past your value is in your leadership and your well-being.

>> chief do.

What is your advice to community members who fear sort of letting the gangs of the drug dealers in their community fear letting them know that I see you and I see what you're doing because that's something that you think you talk about in your talk as well.

Well, >> you have to be visible.

Can be invisible.

You have to.

Take the chance to just walk up and down your block.

Sit on your porch, engage with each other because if you treat it as though it's invisible, that's what you're gonna get.

We have to do a better job with supporting the folks in each community.

And I think once we start doing that, you will see a difference.

>> Then there's the reverse of that because some community members may not trust the police department's either.

And what role do officers do you know the I guess the officers to command in that neighborhood?

What role do they play in helping rebuild that trust to be part of the community?

>> really have to our community.

We have to do.

They have to foot patrols.

They have to get to know the members in that community.

And I think policing itself are doing a better job with that, engaging with the with the members of community.

Often folks in communities feel left out.

They still along police community policing coming together as one will support.

That would help that without that, you're going to continue to have, which what we've had in the past.

So it's very important that.

The communities no longer be afraid.

And it's important that policing supports the community and it should be one strategy with the community.

few seconds left under a minute.

Cook County State's Attorney Jones judge spread is going to stop diverting nonviolent gun cases to restorative justice courts.

>> How is that going to impact the people who would typically come to your court?

It already has that.

She's pause that she calls it putting a pause and sending over.

possession offenders because she's working through the legislature to create a new program for those who iris, I rested for gun possession in.

Don't hear FOID cards in this new program will get them.

The training, according to her, the training and getting there their documentation.

But she's not sending them back to us.

Once that happens, she's she's envisions Quick procedure or areas where there's no he circles.

So if there's no peace circles, it's not story of justice.

won't be coming back to Okay.

Let's talk about that more.

But we're going to focus on peacekeepers tonight.

We'll talk about that again some other time.

Judge.

Brett, thank you so much for joining us.

Catherine Bocanegra and chief Ernest Cato.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

>> for more on firsthand peace keepers, be sure to check out our website.

We explore these issues as well as other areas like social media is used to end gun violence and how other cities are working to tackle crime again, that's all at W t Tw dot com slash firsthand.

>> And that is our show for this Monday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10.

Now for all of us here at W T Tw News.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

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