AKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron is now taking a more community-based approach to preventing violence from happening in the city.
The new incentive is called the "Akron Street Team Pilot Program," where rehabilitated citizens with criminal pasts will directly connect with Akron’s residents, particularly Akron's youth.
This new program is in partnership with the Minority Behavioral Health Group.
This program isn’t a go-door-to-door situation where the City of Akron focuses on particular wards.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said individuals who have repeat offenses or are in and out of police custody will be targeted as part of the program to hopefully intervene before those troublesome individuals continue down a bad life path.
The pilot program is being developed from a public health approach, blending elements of street outreach, violence interruption, case management, community navigation, mental health, and data analysis.
Malik said there’s been a piece missing when addressing violence in Akron.
“Where I think a lot of people have seen a gap, is in trying to kind of reach people from a community perspective and really go to at risk youth predominately and say here are your options, you can continue down the risky behaviors that turn into deadly behaviors or here are all the resources or opportunities in the community,” said Malik. “But also recognizing, and this has become a practice around the country, they need to hear this from someone who has some sort of credibility.”
The city will hire past criminals or those with troubled pasts who have “served their time and turned their lives around” to help the most at-risk families and individuals in the City of Akron, said Malik.
These people will be called “credible messengers."
Malik said he doesn't believe there is a single fix-all solution to combat violence in the community but believes "intervention" work could be a start.
The pilot program will last 18 months.
The program is still in development; people need to be hired, and it isn't off the ground yet. It could take years to see the effects and gather research.
