OAKLAND - The Department of Violence Prevention is proud to announce a $2 million federal grant award to continue growing Oakland’s Ceasefire-Lifeline Strategy, an initiative that has contributed to a significant reduction in shootings and homicides over the last several months. The grant is awarded through the Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative from the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
This funding will deliver intensive life coaching services to an estimated 75 individuals at immediate risk of gun violence.
“I want to thank the Biden-Harris administration for this investment into Oakland,” said Mayor Sheng Thao. “The Ceasefire-Lifeline strategy is evidence based and it has proven that it works. Winning this grant is a testament to the hard work and success of our DVP team.”
Ceasefire-Lifeline is a focused deterrence approach to gun violence reduction that involves identifying and locating individuals at the highest risk of gun violence to engage them in intensive social services that reduce their likelihood of victimization and perpetration.
In Oakland, the DVP’s ten current life coaches deliver intensive life coaching services through daily contacts, safety planning, life mapping, motivational interviewing, and tenants of cognitive behavioral therapy. This grant will allow Oakland to add 3 additional life coaches to the City’s roster.
“This investment into Oakland’s proven strategies reflects City leadership and the Biden-Harris administration’s recognition of the power of Ceasefire-Lifeline to save lives,” DVP Chief Dr. Holly Joshi said. “I am grateful to this administration for its commitment to preventing violence, to our funders for making this work and its expansion possible, to our community for championing the strategy and coming to the table as true partners, and to the incredible staff of DVP who go above and beyond for our community every day.”
The DVP believes deeply in and has witnessed firsthand the power of the Ceasefire-Lifeline community violence intervention strategy to support high-risk, vulnerable individuals in attaining safety and security, and the DVP is committed to interrupting cycles of violence in Oakland by delivering intensive and impactful social services that help individuals change their mindsets, behaviors, and support systems to avoid future violence. In doing this, the DVP seeks to continue preventing homicides and shootings in Oakland, as well as reduce the footprint of the criminal justice system.
So far in 2024, with the Ceasefire strategy fully re-implemented, Oakland is seeing a 33% reduction in homicides and a 32% reduction in shootings year to date.
More information about this award and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards site.
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About the Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking – can be found at www.ojp.gov