A new approach to reducing youth violence
Since September 2023, the city of Aurora has been implementing a new approach to reducing youth violence, called Standing Against Violence Every Day (SAVE).
Aurora SAVE utilizes a proven model that has repeatedly demonstrated how cities can dramatically reduce violence when community members and law enforcement collaborate directly with key leaders of active, violent street groups.
SAVE is a focused-deterrence strategy and a collaboration between the Aurora Police Department (APD), Youth Violence Prevention Program (YVPP) and community partners with strong support from Aurora leaders. Focused deterrence is an effort to intervene with high-risk groups and individuals to prevent future crimes. The city of Aurora’s deterrence efforts focus on reducing gun violence.
SAVE was established through the city’s Public Safety Partnership (PSP), part of the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2021, the city of Aurora was selected as one of 10 sites to participate in the PSP with the goal of enhancing its capacity to reduce violent crime and enhance safety in our community. Read more in the Bureau of Justice Assistance's March 2024 newsletter.
SAVE is modeled after the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy that focuses on the groups in a community at highest risk for violent victimization and offending, with the intention to keep individuals alive, safe and free.
The National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice works with partners in communities and law enforcement to develop and implement the GVI strategy. NNSC strategies have been successful in more than 60 cities — including Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville, Tenn. and Providence, R.I. — over almost 20 years. The city of Aurora is the first Colorado city to implement GVI with the NNSC.
“In the time we have worked with Aurora SAVE, we have continued to be impressed by the thoughtful intentionality and expediency with which they have launched this strategy," said Chelsea Ocon of NNSC. "We are proud to be a partner and look forward to their continued success.”
Aurora partners will use different methods of communication such as a call-in, a face-to-face meeting between group members and SAVE partners; or a custom notification, a quick, direct communication to particular group members. This structure provides a path away from risky behavior toward new and positive relationships.
As of June 2024, the city has completed more than 80 custom notifications, with a 75 percent success rate of contacting individuals. Custom notifications provide contacts with access to services such as job training, housing, education, peer support groups, and substance abuse counseling. The average age of custom candidates is 17. The city's first group call-in was held on Jan. 31, 2024.
A Governing Board, which includes Council Members Lawson and Medina, has been established. The Law Enforcement sub-committee, Support and Outreach sub-committee, and Media and Messaging sub-committee have also been finalized. View the Aurora SAVE Working Group Structure.
Questions about Aurora SAVE can be directed to [email protected] or the Co-Directors listed on the right side of the page.