"Violence behaves like an infectious disease in every single way. With CeaseFire, we are applying exactly the methodology for controlling infectious diseases …"
- Gary Slutkin, MD, Founder, CeaseFire

Violence is the #1 cause of death among young people in many cities, and minority groups are disproportionately affected. Prior to 2000, when CeaseFire was formally launched as a an initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention, more than 400 people were killed in Chicago every year. Three out of four of these killings were the result of a shooting, and most of the victims were under 30.

CeaseFire engages the community to work with young people at high risk of being involved in violence to provide on-the-spot alternatives to shooting and change social norms about gun violence. The program encompasses five core components:

• Community Mobilization: Violence prevention coordinators build neighborhood-based coalitions of local law enforcement, youth organizations, faith leaders, block clubs, and residents.
• Youth Outreach: Outreach workers identify and engage individuals who are at high risk of becoming involved in violence in order to prevent shootings and killings from occurring.
• Public Education: A broad-based public education campaign facilitates behavior change and promotes nonviolence through posters, leaflets, flyers, yard signs, bumper stickers, T-shirts, buttons and other materials.
• Faith-Based Leader Involvement: Members of the faith community perform activities that complement those of outreach workers.
• Criminal Justice Participation: CeaseFire strengthens existing partnerships with law enforcement and helps to repair relationships in neighborhoods where they may have been strained in the past.

Making a difference. CeaseFire has had a dramatic impact on gun violence in Chicago. According to a Justice Department study, Chicago has experienced a 41-73% drop in shootings and killings in CeaseFire zones, with 16- 35% of the reduction directly attributable to CeaseFire. In addition, there has been a 100% reduction in retaliation murders in 5 of 8 CeaseFire neighborhoods.

Learn more about the Program Area: Vulnerable Populations