REDUCING VIOLENCE.

>> STREET OUTREACH WORKERS ARE ON THE FRONTLINE OF GANG ISSUES , WORKING ROUND-THE-CLOCK TO MEDIATE CONFLICT BEFORE IT ESCALATES.

>> AUSTIN SEVERS SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF VIOLENCE , WITH POVERTY AND DISINVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND MANY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS.

THE KEY IS A GENUINE CONNECTION AND FOR MANY OF THE WORKERS HERE, THE CONNECTION IS PERSONAL.

CAN YOU UNLESS KNOW THE STREETS OF JOHNSON -- AUSTIN , WELL.

THEY'VE LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AND BOTH SAY THAT THEY HAVE RUN WITH THE RUN -- WRONG CROWDS AND HAVE BEEN SHOT.

>> I REALIZED THAT WHAT I CAN DO IN LIFE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

>> HARDING WENT TO WORK AS A STREET OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR NONVIOLENT CHICAGO, A NETWORK OF NONPROFIT .

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE METROPOLITAN PEACE INITIATIVE , CENTERING AROUND STREET OUTREACH FOR MANY WHO HAVE VIOLENT BACKGROUNDS, THEMSELVES.

>> IT'S INCREDIBLE.

THEY HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS, THEY HAVE THE INFLUENCE, BECAUSE THEY LIVE THAT LIFE.

>> THE WORK BEGINS BY REACHING OUT TO YOUNG PEOPLE , WHO ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST PERPETRATORS OF GUN VIOLENCE, AND GIVING THEM GUIDANCE.

>> WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE WE CARE ABOUT THEM.

EVEN IF IT'S NOT AN INCIDENT, WE ARE STILL BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP.

>> MANY THAT THEY WORK WITH HAVE HIDDEN TRAUMA, VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE CARRYING AROUND ANGER AND ANXIETY THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF.

>> IT IS NORMALIZED AS NORMAL, BUT IT'S NOT NORMAL.

YOU JUST GOT SHOT , AND WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY PAT YOU ON THE BACK.

THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE TO MASK OUR FEELINGS, WE HAVE TO DELIVER TO A WHOLE ANOTHER STANDARD.

YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU ARE ALL RIGHT BUT EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY, IT'S NOT OKAY.

>> AND, THE GENERAL DISTRUST OF ONE ANOTHER WHERE A PERSON MAY BE WEARING CLOSE THE WRONG WAY OR SIMPLY WALKING DOWN THE WRONG BLOCK.

>> YOU ARE JUST A FACE THAT THEY DON'T KNOW , YOU COULD BE DANGEROUS.

THEY ARE GOING TO WATCH YOU.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE ALERT ABOUT YOU.

ANY WRONG MOVEMENT COULD GET YOU HURT.

>> HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THAT?

>> EVERY BLOCK IS THE WRONG BLOCK IF IT'S NOT THE BLOCK YOU LIVE ON.

IT COULD END UP FROM SOMETHING DOMESTIC, SOMETHING PETTY, SOMETHING IN A NIGHTCLUB , IT COULD START ON FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> THAT IS WHEN MEDIATORS COME IN BEFORE IT ESCALATES.

THEY START BY LISTENING WITHOUT JUDGING.

>> IT'S A CONVERSATION WITH A LOT OF THESE YOUNG BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY.

>> AND THAT IS JUST THE FIRST STEP.

THERE ARE MENTORING, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ATTEMPTS TO KEEP YOUTH ON THE