It’s a tough world out there. Crime is everywhere. Washing ton, D.C., is ranked among the top 50 most dangerous cities in the United States; nothing says “welcome home” quite like the constant sound of sirens. It seems that the top stories in all news outlets are the stories about violence and crime. Sometimes I catch myself thinking that hope for peaceful, safe cities is lost. I couldn’t be further from the truth though. Hundreds of organizations focus on reducing violence, and ICMA is one of them. Here are some of the resources we have and the projects we have been working on:

• ICMA has participated in several effective projects throughout the world pertaining to Crime Prevention and Public Safety. You can find more information here.
• These Seven Simple Steps to Crime Prevention are simple yet effective.
• ICMA has been working in Mexico on the Mexico Crime and Violence Prevention Program. The project details, as well as the accomplishments, can be found here.
• The Janesville, Wisconsin, police department implemented the Domestic Violence Intervention program in 2010. It was created to provide follow-up help to victims of domestic violence in their community. Check out this report for more details.

Together we can work to reduce violence in our communities and make them a safer place for future generations. Do you have a plan that prevents violence and crime in your community? Share it with us!

Jesse Himes
Knowledge Network Intern
jhimes@icma.org