Faiths United and ICJC Letter on Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initative

Members of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies,

The undersigned members of Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence and the Interfaith Criminal Justice Coalition (ICJC) write to you in support of the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVI). We request that Congress fund this program at $200 million in the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. We also decry the harmful cuts to CVI funds at the Office of Justice Programs. This will result in more violent crime and fewer services in communities and some police departments. 

Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence is a coalition of denominations and faith-based organizations united in support of meaningful measures to address gun violence. ICJC is a coalition of faith groups advocating for an end to mass incarceration, respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, and more peaceful communities as a component of our faith traditions. Robust funding for CVI means saving lives and making communities more resilient. 

As people of faith, we lament the loss of life from gun violence in communities across the country and support proven preventive efforts. Moreover, we are the spiritual first responders to gun violence. We support the injured and afflicted, and we comfort the bereaved. Victims and families turn to their faith communities in times of crisis, and we grapple together with fundamental questions about life, death, and faith. Our faiths call on us to respond to the ills of this world with compassion and good works. CVI is a daily example of that “good” in the form of trusted messengers trained to interrupt violence in their own neighborhoods. 

Among firearms-related fatalities,¹ deaths from community interpersonal violence are exceeded only by firearm suicide. Gun violence plagues many communities across the country, originating from decades of economic disinvestment, poverty, intergenerational trauma, environmental toxins, and disputes arising from illicit trades.² These communities are disproportionately communities of color. Congress must address the root causes of gun violence to effectively address the epidemic of gun violence in these communities.

Violence interrupter programs are a common and proactive CVI model to deescalate what could be lethal community-level gun violence. Violence interrupters, or credible messengers, belong to the communities they serve, have established relationships within their communities, and have familiarity with the challenges faced by their neighbors. These community experts mediate conflicts to avoid shootings, and they also take on other tasks that help decrease the norms of violence in communities. These activities can look like helping people with job applications, mentoring teens, asking about family members, or even bringing cupcakes into high schools to discuss de-escalation and conflict resolution. 

A Johns Hopkins evaluation of a violence interruption program in Maryland highlights the efficiency of these programs: “Given the extraordinarily high cost of gun violence, we estimate $7.2 to $19.2 in economic benefits for every $1 invested…”³ in violence interruption programming. It is very difficult to exactly quantify a cost for gun violence every year. However, if we look at only hospitalizations, gun violence costs the nation $1 billion a year.⁴ By reducing violence in communities, violence interrupter programs save lives and simultaneously provide national economic benefits.

With the support of violence interrupters, the Cherry Hill neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland, went 365 days without a single shooting from 2020-2021.⁵ Firearm homicides in Chester, Pennsylvania, reduced by 70% from 2020 to 2023.⁶ New York City also experienced reduced shootings from 2010-2019 thanks to the work of credible messengers in the community.⁷ Violence interrupter programs can replicate these positive results in other communities if Congress makes funding available. 

Law enforcement also benefits from these critical efforts. When violence interrupters reduce community violence, police resources can be utilized and focused where most needed, maximizing both police and community resources to save lives. In avoiding costly and, at times, dangerous investigations, funding for violence interrupters bolsters police safety. Additionally, many violence interrupter programs coordinate with local law enforcement and other government agencies involved in community safety and engagement efforts to focus on “hotspots.”

It is important to note that CVI and violence interrupters do not impinge on Second Amendment rights. Violence interrupter programs are a virtuous cycle, enlisting people who have felt the weight of violence or incarceration and employing their knowledge of the community and personal challenges as an asset to keep their neighborhoods safe from illegal gun use. This restorative nature speaks deeply to us as religious organizations. 

Violence interrupter programs are an effective solution focused on addressing the root causes of violence through active engagement of impacted communities. Successful violence interruption promises prosperous communities, with people earning certifications at community colleges, taking their kids to sporting events, or investing in their communities by starting a small business.

Congress can consequentially address community violence in this nation with robust federal funding for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative. Please allocate $200 million to this program in the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. 

Thank you for your consideration. If you have any further questions, please contact: José Santos Moreno, Director for Justice Reform at the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

Sincerely,
Alliance of Baptists
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
DC Area Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Network
Episcopal Peace Fellowship
Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence
The Festival Center
Franciscan Action Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation 
Hindus for Human Rights
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Churches
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Nuns Against Gun Violence
Pax Christi USA
Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team
United Church of Christ
The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
Washington National Cathedral GVP Ministry

Cc: 
Chair Tom Cole, Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, Chair Susan Collins, Vice Chair Patty Murray
Members of the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies

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1 Gramlich, J. (2023, April 26). What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/26/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/
 2 The Link Between Drugs and Homicide. (n.d.). https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/sites/rit.edu.liberalarts/files/documents/our-work/2002-01.pdf
 3 Webster, D., Tilchin, C., & Doucette, M. (2023). Estimating the Effects of Safe Streets Baltimore on Gun Violence Executive Summary. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/sites/default/files/2023-10/estimating-the-effects-of-safe-streets-baltimore-on-gun-violence-july-2023.pdf
 4 Beyer, D. (2022). The Economic Toll of Gun Violence. Joint Economic Committee Democrats. https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/69fcc319-b3c9-46ff-b5a6-8666576075fe/the-economic-toll-of-gun-violence-final.pdf
 5 Anderson, J., & Jackson, P. (2021, June 26). Safe Streets celebrates a year with no homicides in a South Baltimore area they serve, with hope for rest of the city. Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/2021/06/26/safe-streets-celebrates-a-year-with-no-homicides-in-a-south-baltimore-area-they-serve-with-hope-for-rest-of-the-city/
6  Rose, A. (2023, October 3). “It’s a new day”: County and Chester officials celebrate reduction in city crime rates. Delco Times. https://www.delcotimes.com/2023/10/03/its-a-new-day-county-and-chester-officials-celebrate-reduction-in-city-crime-rates/
 7 Crisis Management. (n.d.). www.nyc.gov. https://www.nyc.gov/site/peacenyc/interventions/crisis-management.page