Community Violence Intervention (CVI) in a Semi-Rural Region: Implementation and Operation Considerations

Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs work to reduce community and firearm-related violence in local areas. Research to date has predominantly focused on the operations and effectiveness of CVI programs in urban settings, leaving a gap in research on CVI programs in semi-rural and rural areas. This study focuses on the contextual determinants and operating challenges and opportunities of Life Worth Living (LWL), a CVI program spanning a three-county rural-suburban region in a Northeast state. The study utilizes qualitative data collected from LWL and partner staff to highlight considerations for semi-rural and rural CVI programs. Five themes related to the research questions include prioritizing the depth and breadth of reliable partnerships, proactive program nimbleness and hot spot rotation, working with varying group dynamics influenced by physical distance and social media, supporting infrastructure needs and the co-location of services, and supporting multi-sector funding models. Coordinating services across the three counties required extensive logistical planning, resource pooling, and relationship management, underscoring the critical nature of partnerships in less resource-dense geographic areas. Findings also noted a working relationship between local law enforcement and LWL, reflecting varied outlooks and approaches on law enforcement involvement in CVI work. Implications from this study support co-locating social services and healthcare in semi-rural and rural locations, creating pathways for joint funding applications and grants, and formalizing partnerships across multiple sectors to support quality service delivery.