A Devastating Blow to Our Neighborhoods
The Trump administration’s decision to cut $811 million in federal grants for community violence intervention programs struck communities like a sudden storm. These funds supported initiatives that save lives by preventing gun violence and helping victims heal. In California, organizations like Advance Peace in Fresno and Youth ALIVE! in Oakland now face crippling losses, forced to reduce services or close entirely. This move endangers the very people these programs protect. Why would anyone dismantle efforts that have proven their worth?
Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined by advocates from the GIFFORDS Center for Violence Intervention, has labeled this decision reckless, and the evidence backs him up. These cuts threaten years of progress in reducing violent crime across California and the nation. Neighborhoods that have fought to break cycles of violence now risk losing mentors for at-risk youth and support for victims. The Trump administration claims to value public safety, yet its actions tell a different story, abandoning communities in their time of need.
The Human Toll of Federal Retreat
The impact is deeply personal. In Fresno, Advance Peace lost a $2 million grant, leading to staff cuts that weaken its ability to guide young people away from violence. In Oakland, Youth ALIVE! saw its $2 million grant vanish, jeopardizing a hospital-based program that helps gunshot victims recover and avoid retaliation. In Los Angeles, groups like the Urban Peace Institute and The Reverence Project lost millions, halting training for outreach workers and trauma care. These losses translate into lives left vulnerable.
Research paints a clear picture of what’s at stake. Community violence intervention programs have reduced homicides by up to 56 percent in places like Baltimore and cut nonfatal shootings by 34 percent. In Chicago, READI participants experienced a 79 percent drop in shootings. Every dollar invested can yield up to forty-one dollars in savings on medical and legal costs. These initiatives employ specialists who provide counseling, job training, and alternatives to violence. When funding disappears, these critical services vanish too. How can we justify abandoning such effective strategies?
Challenging a Flawed Opposition
Some policymakers argue that these programs divert resources from law enforcement, insisting that police and prosecutors are the primary solution to crime. They portray community violence intervention as untested, advocating for a focus on traditional public safety measures. Yet this view overlooks the evidence. Despite heavy policing, gun homicides surged 30 percent during the pandemic. Community-based strategies tackle root causes like poverty and trauma, which arrests alone cannot address. Cutting these programs leaves communities without essential support.
The assertion that these grants misuse taxpayer funds also falls flat. Bipartisan support for prevention is strong—79 percent of voters favor addressing social drivers of violence. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which allocated $400 million to violence intervention since 2022, reflects this consensus. However, the Trump administration, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, abruptly terminated these grants mid-cycle, disrupting organizations that relied on promised stability. This decision creates chaos, not savings, and puts lives at risk.
California’s Stand for Safety
California is pushing back. Leaders like Assemblymember Mike Gipson and Senator Jesse Arreguín are demanding the restoration of these funds, with Gipson calling the cuts a “dangerous step backward.” Their urgency is warranted. The state has led the way in violence prevention, hosting roundtables with community leaders to strengthen these programs. Cities like Los Angeles and Chicago saw gun homicides drop 18 to 26 percent in 2023, thanks to such efforts. Without federal support, these gains are in jeopardy. Can we afford to let this progress slip away?
The broader picture is troubling. Federal cuts to social programs, including $12 billion from health initiatives, have triggered layoffs and service reductions nationwide. Nonprofits warn that two-thirds could close without federal support. In California, where gun violence remains a challenge despite a 14 percent drop in gun murders by 2023, these cuts threaten to undo significant achievements. The Biden administration’s $1.5 billion proposal for violence intervention grants offered a smarter approach, one the current administration has recklessly abandoned.
A Demand for Accountability
The Trump administration’s choice to slash community violence intervention funding prioritizes politics over people. Restoring these grants is about more than budgets—it’s about saving lives, healing neighborhoods, and building a future free from the shadow of gun violence. California’s leaders are leading the charge, but they need a national outcry to succeed. We cannot let these programs fade into oblivion.
Imagine a young person finding a job instead of a gun, or a victim choosing healing over revenge. These programs make such outcomes possible, with proven success in cities from Baltimore to Oakland. By supporting advocates like Bonta, Gipson, and the GIFFORDS Center, we can demand a federal government that invests in prevention over punishment. The fight for safer communities rests with us. Will we stand up and act?