CeaseFire Changes Its Name to Cure Violence

CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After 12 years of reducing shootings and killings in Chicago, Baltimore, New York City and cities across the globe including in South Africa and Iraq, CeaseFire announced today it is becoming Cure Violence. The move is expected to boost momentum behind the understanding of violence as a public health epidemic, and to treat it as a contagious disease that can be interrupted from spreading and effectively prevented.

"We can begin to make violence a thing of the past as we have for other contagious diseases by understanding it and treating it according to proven scientific principles. It's time for us to shift our thinking about violence from the old way of approaching the problem," said Gary Slutkin, MD, founder and executive director of Cure Violence. "Communities desperately want effective solutions to stop the spread of violence that they can help with, and that scientifically work."

Cure Violence uses the same science-based strategies used to fight infectious diseases — like tuberculosis, cholera and AIDS — to stop the spread of violence. The award-winning documentary THE INTERRUPTERS, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and aired on PBS Frontline, highlighted the organization's workers and their efforts to stop violence in Chicago.

Research has shown that Cure Violence successfully reduces shootings and killings. A 2008 study by the U.S. Department of Justice reported significant drops in violence in Chicago's most volatile neighborhoods, including a 100 percent reduction in retaliatory murders. A 2012 study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows a replication of the program in Baltimore cut homicides in half and changed youth attitudes and behaviors away from using violence by making it unacceptable and showing that there are other solutions to conflict.

Cure Violence trains carefully selected members of the community — trusted insiders — to anticipate where violence may occur and intervene before it erupts. The model engages the entire community to change behavior, recognize that violence is unacceptable and helps to resolve even the highest-risk conflicts, while also changing group norms.

Recently, the Institute of Medicine and the U.S. Conference of Mayors affirmed the need to approach violence as a public health epidemic. In addition to Chicago, Baltimore and New York City, the program has been replicated in New York state, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Kansas City and internationally.

"We are inspired to continue this work and bring an even larger message of hope that we can cure violence together," said Dr. Slutkin. "Less violence means more life, stronger communities and new opportunities for everyone. We look forward to growing the worldwide movement of people from law enforcement to community leaders who understand violence is a disease and have seen the Cure Violence model stop the shootings and killings in their neighborhoods."

About Cure Violence
Cure Violence, formerly CeaseFire, approaches violence in an entirely new way: as a disease that can be stopped using the same science-based strategies used to fight infectious diseases, like cholera or AIDS. Featured in the award-winning documentary THE INTERRUPTERS and a Global Journal Top 100 NGO, Cure Violence is leading a movement to approach violence in a new way and make it a thing of the past. The program was founded in Chicago, with replication partners across the United States and internationally. Online at CureViolence.org.

CONTACTS:
Josh Gryniewicz, [email protected], 312-413-3253
Kelly Osmundson, [email protected], 415-901-0111 x337

SOURCE Cure Violence