National Network for Safe Communities

Alexis Acevedo, Senior Research Advisor, and Fatma Zahra, Director of Intimate Partner Violence Strategies, attended the 21st Annual Conference on Crimes Against Women, where they shared NNSC’s emerging research on the intersection of intimate partner and community violence. They connected with practitioners and emphasized the importance of trust building and collaboration across violence prevention fields to better support high-risk IPV victim-survivors.

NNSC is proud to support the ongoing work in Nashville, where partnership is driving real impact through our Group Violence Intervention (GVI).

Through our technical assistance, the city and its partners are seeing powerful early results: 86% of individuals who received custom notifications have not been rearrested for new violent offenses. That level of impact speaks to what’s possible when strategy, relationships, and support align.

This work is made possible through strong collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the Nashville/Davidson County Health Department, and the Urban League of Middle Tennessee—the anchor agency leading social services and community-based support.

We were honored to participate in the Urban League’s first annual GVI Conference, bringing together leaders committed to building safer, more resilient communities.

The power of partnership is showing up in Nashville—and this is what progress looks like.



If you want, I can:https://www.newschannel5.com/news/state/tennessee/davidson-county/nashvilles-group-violence-intervention-program-aims-to-break-the-cycle-of-crime-and-violence?fbclid=IwY2xjawRh1CxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFTMEZQREdqQUsyN0NCVlhpc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHs_qwxnPkht5MS_rB19ktj3V1si3H54f2woDjQOV-FdOeBivc0_eGmD0y3b1_aem_46WnBlknpBjOguh6RJQxsA

Nashville's Group Violence Intervention program aims to break the cycle of crime and violence Nashville's Group Violence Intervention program unites police, health leaders, and community groups to prevent violence through job training and mental health support.

NNSC Field Advisor Debra Higens and Director Laurie Allison Owen were in Albany NY delivering GVI training to partners from
Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region/GVI
Albany 518 SNUG
Bridge Tha Gap Resource & Outreach Inc.
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Downtown Albany BID
Albany County Sheriffs Office
Albany County Probation
Albany County District Attorney's Office
NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (Parole)
Center for Law and Justice
City School District of Albany
City of Albany Department of Recreation
Albany Community Land Trust (Gun Violence Prevention)
Greece Police Department, NY
Monroe County, NY
Rochester, NY
Mayor Dorcey Applyrs and Chief Brendan Cox provided opening remarks and committed their leadership to support the GVI work going forward. We are excited to be working with the capital city!

What does it take to build safer communities? Partnership.

Thank you to everyone who joined NNSC’s April webinar on Cross-Sector Partnerships in Violence Prevention, held in recognition of National Police Week.

We heard directly from leaders in law enforcement, including Captain Charlie Fields (Community Services Division, Cedar Rapids Police Department), Sergeant Brian Zullo (Office of Alternative Policing Strategies, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department), and Captain Kyle Dombrowski (Operations Division, South Bend Police Department).

They shared what it really looks like to work together across sectors—offering insights, challenges, and lessons from the field.

One thing was clear: meaningful collaboration across agencies is key to preventing violence and supporting communities most affected.

We appreciate all who took part in this important conversation.

🎥Missed it? Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTdVh7ATkk0

National Network for Safe Communities Cross-Sector Partnerships in Violence Prevention

National Network for Safe Communities is grateful to our partners in Philadelphia for leading the way with a Group Violence Intervention (GVI) model tailored specifically to juveniles. While young people still represent a small share of those involved in shootings and homicides, the numbers are beginning to increase — making early action critical.

All people deserve the opportunity to change, even after making poor decisions that lead to harm. Our children, in particular, deserve compassionate accountability — clear expectations paired with support, opportunity, and pathways away from violence.

Philadelphia’s leadership shows how communities can adapt proven strategies to meet the unique needs of young people and strengthen long-term safety. Appreciate the partnership and the work being led by Deion Sumpter & our GVI-J Coordinator Mark Johnson-Taylor and the broader Philadelphia team — grateful for your leadership. 🙏🏽

Stopping a Shooting Before a Teen Picks Up a Gun A new city program works with young people from neighborhoods where shootings are stubbornly high.

This week our own Laurie Owen was on the ground with our Nashville partners. She spent time with Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the Metro Public Health Department of Nashville and Davidson County , and Urban League of Middle TN , engaging in jail notifications, customs, and walking one stops. It was a successful week with the team and we are really proud of the great work happening there!

At the National Network for Safe Communities, every strategy begins with a clear understanding of the facts on the ground.

Last week, we hosted a webinar on our Problem Analysis framework — a cornerstone of our data-driven approach to violence prevention. The session explored how rigorous analysis can:

- Identify individuals and groups at highest risk
- Surface critical information often missed in traditional approaches
- Strengthen coordination across law enforcement, community, and service providers
- Guide the design and long-term implementation of focused strategies like GVI and IPVI

Here's the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHC5jBlKYiE

We welcome continued conversation with partners working to advance effective, evidence-based approaches to public safety.

Learn more at https://nnscommunities.org/problem-analysis/

NNSC Problem Analysis Webinar March 2026 This webinar highlights the cornerstone of NNSC's data-driven approach: the Problem Analysis.All effective public safety strategies — including NNSC’s Group ...

Every city faces unique challenges when it comes to violence—but the patterns behind that violence can be understood. A Problem Analysis is a proven approach that helps cities identify the people, groups, and dynamics driving serious violence.
The National Network for Safe Communities has conducted Problem Analyses across the country and around the world, helping jurisdictions make smarter, more informed decisions in their efforts to reduce violence.
If your city is considering a Problem Analysis to strengthen its violence reduction work, reach out to NNSC today.
👉 Learn more in our new Problem Analysis overview.
https://nnscommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Problem-Analysis-Overview.pdf