Contract will decide who handles Knoxville violence interruption: An outside agency or local groups
The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform plans to hire local violence interruption experts if the Knoxville City Council hires the agency to help curb crime.
The agency, if hired, also intends to establish an advisory board of local leaders and stakeholders to provide feedback and support its work to lower the number of murders in Knoxville.
Mayor Indya Kincannon proposed giving the California-based group $519,750 to manage violence interruption work after the city ended its contract with the nonprofit Turn Up Knox. The council will vote on the contract May 13.
"We are proposing that over the next twelve months, we focus on how we target the right people in the right way, and propose six local full-time violent intervention specialists, including a program manager," Keiland Henderson, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform associate director of violence reduction, said at a May 12 community meeting.
The city held the meeting after pushback from council members over the need to hire an outside group when residents are already doing the work. Kincannon's administration stopped paying Turn Up Knox earlier this year after the nonprofit failed to meet the demands of its contract.
Violence interruption targets those who are at risk of committing a crime, and it complements traditional policing.
NICJR plans to improve data collection, provide training and hire full-time violent intervention specialists from Knoxville.
The agency, if it's hired, will set up an application process for its specialists and will decide who to hire based on their background and experience.
"We will turn no one away who is well-qualified for these positions," Henderson said.
Henderson said most at-risk individuals have previously been arrested, have ties to recent shootings and are between the ages of 25 and 34. In the year of the proposed contract, the agency will help build up the capacity of individuals and organizations working on violence reduction.
Denzel Grant, director for Turn Up Knox, hopes community members speak to council members about delaying the contract once again to buy more time for a different solution. Rashaad Woods, director for Renounce Denounce, wants to see a few modifications on who will be hired for the specialist positions.
Both want to see local violence interruption groups get more assistance because, they say, they know who needs help from their time out in the community every day.
Myron Thompson reports on public safety for Knox News. Email: myron.thompson@knoxnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform details plans for Knoxville
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