New Jersey is allocating $14.5 million to further support the state’s community-based violence intervention program.

Under the initiative, grants support organizations that seek to interrupt cycles of violence in high-risk communities. Using a public health approach, the program deploys a range of strategies, including:

• Street outreach led by credible messengers;
• Mentorship;
• High-risk intervention including de-escalation services;
• Safe passage for school-age youth in high-crime areas;
• Case management, counseling and trauma support services for individuals who are at high risk for violence and/or victimization.

Since 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration has invested nearly $55 million in the program. The latest grant cycle will begin in 2025, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said in a Sept. 24 press release.

For the upcoming round, funding will be provided through federal American Rescue Plan funds as well as New Jersey’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

State resources from the program are primarily drawn from the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Fund. The CREAMM fund aims to reinvest in the communities most impacted by cannabis criminalization.

Overall, the state has allocated $115 million to violence intervention, including with its community and hospital-based programs as well as trauma recovery centers.

Reducing crime

In a statement, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said, “Our violence intervention programming is a key part of our approach to reducing violent crime, combatting gun violence, and increasing public safety … The funding announced today means that we can deepen our investment in the essential work of the grass roots organizations that are breaking cycles of violence and stopping the harm and trauma that comes with it.”

Murphy commented, “There is no place for violence in New Jersey, which is why we have gone to great lengths to break harmful cycles and ensure our residents feel secure in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. New Jersey’s groundbreaking violence reduction programs have already proven invaluable in our efforts to reduce violence and bolster our prevention framework. I’m pleased to see the continuation of these important programs, and I commend both Attorney General Platkin and our community partners for their commitment to keeping our friends and neighbors safe.”

Continuing a change implemented during the 2024 grant cycle, the 2025 program puts a special emphasis and priority on violence intervention programs known as “tertiary services.” These are recognized as providing the most immediate benefit in reducing and responding to violence.

The maximum grant award for tertiary services remains $750,000. Organizations that provide primary or secondary services may apply for up to $500,000, according to the state.

With this grant cycle, the state is encouraging recipients to use funds to build their organizational capacity, including organizing staff development, building partnerships, securing upgraded technology, managing organizational assessments and conducting trainings.