ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY BY STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
Crime and Violence Prevention Approach Using Data Analytics
The rise in hate crimes, violent crimes, gun violence, and other forms of targeted violence presents urgent and complex challenges unique to each county, city, and neighborhood. These issues are intertwined with homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health concerns, demanding effective, evidence-based solutions. To address these challenges, local governments must prioritize primary prevention, utilizing resources for social and community services to prevent violence before it occurs. However, managing these resources efficiently and transparently while meeting the growing demand for services is challenging, especially in the face of shrinking budgets. In a world of limited funds, capacities, and competing priorities, decision-makers must strategically allocate resources to maximize the impact of prevention efforts. Therefore, local governments need an evidence-based approach to public safety.
CREWS: AN EVIDENCE BASED APPROACH TO PUBLIC SAFETY
CREWS assists local leaders in designing efficient solutions to enhance public safety. The platform employs advanced data analytics to identify and prioritize risks and protective factors, aiding in violence prevention. It supports informed decision-making to facilitate local resource mobilization. CREWS was piloted in the USA with funding from the US Department of Homeland Security. After successful pilots in multiple locations, this approach has been deeply applied in Scranton, PA, and is now being introduced in Canada.
“The CREWS Assessment that Muflehun developed for Philadelphia has been a valuable tool in developing programming and creating networks that work to address and prevent the escalation of hate as it offers a detailed look at the risk and protective factors linked to hate and bias that are unique to the city. This supported us in aligning the city’s resources to fight the challenges we face.”
– Randy Duque; Deputy Director, Community Relations Division, Philadelphia Commission on Human
Grounded in decades of research, CREWS uses a public-health informed approach to leverage:
- Data-Driven Insights: CREWS collects and analyzes open-source data to prioritize risk factors to mitigate and protective factors to enhance. It identifies areas needing attention and improvement.
- Local Collaboration: Working with local partners, CREWS develops tailored prevention strategies and plans
- Resource Allocation: CREWS advises on the best use of limited resources to enhance local prevention efforts.
