University News
A team of three faculty members from the University of New Haven has been awarded a highly competitive National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant to conduct a five-year evaluation of Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiatives (CVIPI) in New Haven.
February 19, 2025
When it comes to addressing violent crime, community-based interventions can play a crucial role in fostering change. A team of three faculty members from the University of New HavenDavid Myers, Ph.D.; Kevin Barnes-Ceeney, Ph.D.; and Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo, Ph.D.have been awarded a prestigious National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant to evaluate these efforts in the City of New Haven.
Their work will build on ongoing initiatives being led by the city and provide critical insights into the effectiveness of community-led violence reduction strategies.
This highly competitive award will allow us to conduct a comprehensive, mixed-methods evaluation of the city's efforts to reduce violent crime and victimization through community-based approaches, said Dr. Tcherni-Buzzeo, who serves as a professor and director of the Ph.D. program in criminal justice.
The project is a natural extension of the work Dr. Barnes-Ceeney has been conducting under a previous Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant. That initiative, known as the Program for Reintegration, Engagement, Safety, and Support (PRESS), focuses on high-risk individuals aged 18-34. Through PRESS, Dr. Barnes-Ceeney has developed risk and needs assessment tools that provide a clearer picture of the factors contributing to violent behavior.
These risk/needs tools provide clear information about the potential risks of future violence a client poses, and the needs that must be addressed to reduce that risk, said Dr. Barnes-Ceeney, an associate professor and assistant chair of the Criminal Justice Department. The data generated by these tools will be critical for evaluating violence reduction under the NIJ grant.
One of the key components of the NIJ-funded project is its emphasis on collaboration with community stakeholders. The research team will analyze existing violence reduction efforts and engage directly with organizations working on the ground to implement these strategies.
It's about building collaborative relationships between stakeholders to coordinate violence reduction efforts, Dr. Barnes-Ceeney explained. The collaborative relationships nurtured through PRESS are being strengthened in the NIJ grant through 27 capacity-building workshops over three years.
These workshops focus on developing case-management skills, data recording, and case planningall essential tools for agencies aiming to make a measurable impact. Through working groups and with the support of a larger Community Advisory Board, the initiative ensures that those most affected by violent crime have a voice in shaping intervention strategies.
Involving community members who are most impacted by gun violence helps us keep our feet on the ground, Dr. Barnes-Ceeney added. It ensures that planned interventions are responsive to direct community needs.
Beyond its immediate impact on violence prevention, the NIJ grant also creates invaluable learning opportunities for students at the University of New Haven. Several students pursuing their Ph.D. in criminal justice will be involved in the project, gaining hands-on experience in conducting large-scale, real-world research.
This grant will fund the research work of several Ph.D. students, offering them an invaluable opportunity to engage in cutting-edge evaluation of violence prevention and intervention programs, Dr. Tcherni-Buzzeo said.
Dr. Myers, who serves as professor and chair of the Criminal Justice Department, emphasized the significance of securing an NIJ research grant. NIJ research grants are not easy to come by, he said. They have a low acceptance rate and go through an in-depth peer-review process. Its a highly competitive process, so were both happy and proud to have obtained the grant.
The five-year research project will involve collecting data from staff members and program participants, conducting direct observations, and participating in stakeholder meetings. It will also build on the tools Dr. Barnes-Ceeney has already developed, refining the ways in which intervention programs assess risk and measure success.
We view this as a way to assist the New Haven area and help the city with developing and evaluating these programs, Dr. Myers said. Its going to take time and energy, but its something were looking forward to.
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