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WHEREAS, community violence intervention (CVI) programs supported through the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) initiative, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, have contributed to a 46.5% reduction in shootings and firearm homicides across Pennsylvania within the last three years, including in Allegheny County; and,
WHEREAS, trained outreach workers help de-escalate conflicts, connect individuals to critical services, and intervene before shootings occur, using trauma-informed and data-driven strategies rooted in the communities they serve; and,
WHEREAS, research demonstrates that every dollar invested in community violence intervention returns at least five dollars in value to the Commonwealth through reduced health care costs, lower criminal justice expenditures, improved community safety, and strengthened economic productivity; and,
WHEREAS, sustained and increased state investment is necessary to continue this significant progress and prevent reversals in public safety gains; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh urges the Pennsylvania General Assembly to include no less than $80 million for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 for the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh supports separately funding Governor Shapiro’s request of $12.5 million for the Building Opportunity through Out of School Time (BOOST) program, for a total investment of $92.5 million in violence intervention and prevention resources; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh affirms that strategic investment in proven, community-led violence prevention programs protects lives, strengthens neighborhoods, and delivers measurable economic returns for taxpayers across the Commonwealth.