Baltimore To Expand Violence Mediation Program

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Baltimore is expanding a public health campaign to cut gun violence through mediation and community outreach.

The city's Board of Estimates on Wednesday approved a request for proposals for the Safe Streets program, which received $2.2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice. Staffers in the program that targets high-risk youth mediate disputes that could result in serious violence and work to mobilize neighborhoods to promote nonviolence.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers released a study Wednesday that shows that the program cut gun violence and estimates that it prevented five homicides and 35 non-fatal shootings in four neighborhoods over several years.

The program is still operating in two city neighborhoods until June. Health Department officials hope their successes will help attract funding to continue.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)