Durable Collaborations: The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

• NCJ Number: 249995
• Author(s): Kathleen Tomberg; Jeffrey Butts
• Date Published: June 2016
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2010-MU-FX-0007
• Agencies: OJJDP-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Survey; Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program Description (Demonstrative)

Annotation

This report presents the methodology and findings of a 2016 survey by the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College that solicited from community leaders of cities involved in the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention their perceptions of the effectiveness of this strategy.

Abstract

The 2016 survey did not specifically target the same respondents involved in similar 2011-2012 surveys. Respondents in those surveys reported a number of potentially positive outcomes for the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention implemented in five cities. Praiseworthy outcomes mentioned by respondents were expanded opportunities for youth, improvements in the extent of interagency and cross-sector collaborations, and successful efforts in drawing upon the knowledge and expertise of a broad range of community members. Respondents of the 2016 survey were 15 cities involved in the National Forum. These respondents were positive about their growing collaborations and the effectiveness of their strategies for preventing youth violence. As with the previous surveys, the 2016 survey measured the perceptions of community leaders, so it was not a direct measure of youth violence. When responses of individuals from the original five cities were compared over the entire time period, their 2016 responses were generally more positive on all items except funding and resources. This suggests the National Forum may have inspired sustainable changes in how participating cities deal with youth violence. For the 2016 survey, the research team contacted the site coordinators in each Forum city, asking for help in identifying 20 to 40 key stakeholders to be survey respondents. Ideal survey participants were people informed about the overall effectiveness of local law enforcement, youth services, and the adequacy of violence prevention efforts in their city. The respondent list typically included judges, police officers, educators, substance abuse and mental health treatment professionals, community activists and organizers, members of faith-based organizations, and youth advocates. 7 figures