Frequently Asked Questions
What is StreetSafe?
StreetSafe Boston is a multi-year youth development and safety initiative designed to dramatically reduce youth violence in a subset of Boston neighborhoods disproportionately and persistently affected by high rates of violent crime.
What is the strategy?
1. Street Level Gang Intervention – Develop and deploy a highly trained and supported cadre of StreetSafe Boston Streetworkers with street credibility who can establish relationships with proven-risk youth to intervene in cycles of violence, resolve conflicts, and connect youth to needed services in coordination with existing City and Faith Based Streetworkers and Youth Outreach Workers.
2. Neighborhood Based Service Delivery - A multiple-agency neighborhood-based strategy to provide vital alternative programming and social services for proven-risk youth in the following categories: workforce, education, legal services, housing services, family services, re-entry, mental health services and recreation.
What are the outcomes?
In the five focus communities:
1. Substantially reduce the incidence of violent gang behavior among proven-risk youth:
- Substantially reduce the number of gang related homicides per gang and per neighborhood
- Substantially reduce the incidents of gang related violent crime (defined as shootings, aggravated assaults and other “Part I” crimes) per gang and per neighborhood
2. Substantially increase the number of proven-risk youth that are accessing positive programs, services and activities:
- Substantially increase the number of proven-risk youth who are actively engaged in educational or career attainment
- Substantially increase the number of proven-risk youth who are connected to streetworkers
3. Substantially improve the perception of safety in the five focus communities and city wide.
Who does the strategy seek to engage?
Experts at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government estimate that 1% of the City’s youth population aged 16 – 24 (about 1,400 – 2,200 young people) drive over 50% of gun violence citywide. Harvard research suggests that more than 70% of shootings are concentrated in only 5% of the city’s street corners and blocks. StreetSafe Boston is focused on five neighborhoods along Blue Hill Avenue where a majority of these proven risk youth live and a bulk of Boston’s gun violence occurs.
Who are the partners?
Where will the Streetworkers be deployed?
- South End/Lower Roxbury
- Dudley Square
- Grove Hall
- Bowdoin/Geneva
- Morton/Norfolk
What is the budget for this program?
The full program has a budget of 19.8 million over the course of four years. The Boston Foundation has committed $1 million per year for the next four years.
Who is providing the financial support for the StreetSafe Boston Initiative?
View a list of StreetSafe funders.
How can I get involved in the StreetSafe Boston Initiative?
For general information regarding StreetSafe Boston please contact:
Diane Ivey, Program Coordinator
StreetSafe Boston
diane.ivey@tbf.org
617.339.2399
For more information regarding donations for StreetSafe Boston, please contact:
Tara Small
Fundraising Manager for the StreetSafe Boston
Tara.Small@tbf.org
617.338.3071
Dana Turpie
Development and Philanthropic Services Associate
Dana.Turpie@tbf.org
617.338.2684
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