Jacksonville City Council approved $764,283 for funding of Cure Violence Program

The Jacksonville City Council approved putting $764,283 into an account to be used for the funding of the Cure Violence program. The city said this money will be used for training and technical assistance from Cure Violence and implementation of the program at two sites.

By this summer, Cure Violence said it will have trained people going out into Springfield, Downtown, Eastside, Northwest Jax, New Town and Baldwin – all labeled hot spotS for crime.

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“Cure violence is really a tip of the sphere effort. We are going out and targeting high-risk individuals who have potential for violence immediately, working with induvials who have credibility with them to go out and get them to stop being violent,” said Damian Cook, with the organization.

Cook said he hopes they will be able to stop a crime before it actually happens.

“We’re going to go out and find the thugs that are getting ready to do shootings. We’re going to send somebody who knows them to find them to talk them, out of it,” he said.

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In the newly released Jacksonville Assessment report – Mayor Lenny Curry, JSO and the State Attorney’s Office expressed optimism and seemed ready to get to work.

With the passing of Marsy’s Law, which keeps information about crime victims confidential unless the family releases it, some are concerned the work of Cure Violence will be hindered.

Cook said they won’t be relying on JSO to get information, but rather from the community.

“I don’t see that as an impediment because Cure Violence (is) community based, we’re working with community-based partners, these are people who are from the community,” he said.

Cox Media Group