About this Conversation
Thomas Abt, founding director of The Center for the Study and Practice of Violence Reduction (VRC) and associate research professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice at The University of Maryland, develops evidence-informed strategies that bring together city leaders, law enforcement, public health officials, and community-based groups to reduce community violence in US cities.
Community violence, often referred to as urban violence or street violence, typically occurs in a public setting, among individuals who may or may not know each other, and is often connected to gang and gun violence. It is not spread evenly across cities, but is hyper-concentrated amongst small groups of people in hotspots. Thomas walks us through how Community Violence impacts the entire community at large with increased taxes, raised insurance premiums, and reduced property value.
Through systematic meta-review of community violence reduction strategies, Abt and the VRC have found that the most focused, balanced, and fair interventions are the most successful. The VRC has worked with several US cities, including Knoxville, Boston, and most recently, St. Louis, to implement community violence reduction plans.
About Thomas Abt
See more
About Thomas
Thomas Abt is a prominent expert on reducing urban violence. As a Senior Fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, he focuses on developing practical, evidence-based solutions to a major societal issue. In his book, Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence—and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets, Abt presents “smart-on-crime” strategies that don’t require large budgets or new laws. His work shows that effective violence reduction is possible by using existing resources more wisely. Before his current role, Abt held several key government positions. As Deputy Secretary for Public Safety in New York, he oversaw the state’s criminal justice and homeland security agencies and helped create the GIVE (Gun-Involved Violence Elimination) Initiative. He also served as the Chief of Staff for the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he played a major role in creating the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. This program brings together government agencies and local communities to combat youth and gang violence. His career highlights a consistent dedication to public safety through intelligent and collaborative strategies.
