New Jersey Must Invest in Safer Communities: Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Advocates to Descend on Trenton

On Thursday, June 15, at 11:00 a.m., ahead of the passage of the state’s FY24 budget, the New Jersey Violence Intervention and Prevention Statewide Coalition (NJVIP) will gather on the front steps at the Statehouse Annex in Trenton for Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Advocacy Day.

Member organizations of NJVIP will be calling on legislators to support a package of bills that invest in community violence intervention programs.

A2049 – $10 million for CVI programs through the Office of The Attorney General

S3086/A4878 – $5.5 million to support NJ Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance Office

S2007/A3581 – Medicaid coverage for CVI services

S2295/A1515 – Creation of Local Civilian Review Board

A5326 – $10 million to establish a community crisis response advisory council and community crisis response team pilot program

“Community violence intervention and prevention programs are succeeding throughout New Jersey by addressing the causes of violence and building community safety,” said Will Simpson, NJVIP spokesperson and director of violence reduction initiatives for Equal Justice USA. “But this lifesaving work requires an ongoing commitment, and these successful approaches to violence reduction need to be made available to all New Jersey cities in need.”

For more information contact Jon Crane at 203-982-4575, joncrane@criticalpr.com.

The New Jersey Violence Intervention & Prevention (NJVIP) statewide coalition brings together frontline interventionists, prevention specialists, and national partners to advocate for and promote responses to violence to center the needs and wisdom of our communities.