As mass shootings dominate headlines and become a 2024 Presidential talking point, leading public safety organization issues comprehensive agenda to address gun violence and ensure victims receive resources to heal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Public safety organization Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) and its flagship project, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), have released a seven-point agenda to help break cycles of community and gun violence across the nation. Informed by a national network of 180,000 crime survivors, the National Crime Victims Agenda: Stopping Cycles of Community and Gun Violence presents seven policy solutions to advance healing, prevention, safety and trauma recovery for communities most harmed by gun violence – which has become the leading cause of death of American children:
- Establish and Grow Trauma Recovery Centers
- Increase Access to Public Safety Funding for Community Organizations on the Front Lines of Responding to Gun Violence
- Fund Community-Based Organizations Providing Peer-to-Peer Support to Victims
- Expand Access to Victim Compensation and End Discriminatory Exclusions
- Develop Flexible Victim Assistance Funds
- Increase Legal Protections to Ensure Job and Housing Stability in the Aftermath of Violence
- Document and Understand the Harm Caused by Gun Violence
“All victims deserve equitable and immediate access to victim services that allow them to heal and recover,” said Aswad Thomas, vice president of ASJ and national director of CSSJ. “Our network of crime survivors have recommended these seven solutions to act as a blueprint for advancing healing and stability for victims, preventing cycles of violence, and making all communities safer.”
A 2022 national survey found that most crime victims never receive the help they need to overcome the physical, emotional, and financial harm inflicted by their victimization. This lack of investment in support for crime victims’ trauma-related needs leaves communities trapped in cycles of crime and violence.
ASJ and CSSJ will host a webinar for the public to discuss the agenda on September 19, 2023 at 1 p.m. EST.
To learn more about the policy solutions needed to help break cycles of gun violence in the meantime, read the full agenda here.
About the Alliance for Safety and Justice
The Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) is a multi-state public safety organization that aims to replace over-incarceration with more effective public safety solutions rooted in crime prevention, community health, rehabilitation, and support for crime victims. ASJ partners with state leaders and advocates to achieve safety and justice reforms through advocacy, organizing, coalition building, research, and communications. For more information, visit https://allianceforsafetyandjustice.org.
About Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice
Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ) is a national network of more than 180,000 crime victims that are joining together to share stories, heal together, and advocate for a justice system that prioritizes healing, prevention, and recovery. CSSJ is a flagship project of the Alliance for Safety and Justice. For more information, visit https://cssj.org/.
