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