The City of Homestead is at the southernmost end of Miami-Dade County, Florida. With a population of 69,523, the community is 66% Hispanic and 20.6% Black (including the Haitian population), 11.9% Anglo and 1.1% other. Between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, the Miami-Dade Police Department reported that District 9 had the highest number of shooting incidents, excluding homicides, in the county. For the number of gun-related homicides, District 9 ranked second in all of Miami-Dade County. Gun violence continues to increase in the District, with many victims being unintended targets. Miami-Dade County reports that in 2020, 24 municipalities reported shooting incidents.  

The highest violent crime rate is found in the Southwest section of the City of Homestead. This community has two HUD housing complexes that are home to over 800 families and multiple apartments and duplexes listed as Section 8. The four schools that serve this community have a 98% free breakfast and lunch program. Due to the social, economic, and academic risk factors facing children in this community, the likelihood of these children developing academic, social, and behavioral problems is higher as compared to other communities in the City of Homestead.  

The City of Homestead plans to integrate the NNSC's Group Violence Intervention BCJI project with other institutionalized crime reduction strategies. In 2016 a coalition of local stakeholders formed “Together for Children” (TFC) to address the county’s high juvenile crime rates. Utilizing various tools and data assessment, the TFC initiative developed a process for a seamless system of care for juveniles. Local law enforcement was an integral part of the TFC through their specialized Community Policing Unit and their Police Athletic League (PAL) program.  

The Homestead Police Department has an integrated social service unit called “Start of Smart” (SOS). SOS provides social services through evidence-based trauma-informed Care Coordination to the community to reduce the high rate of children being removed from the community due to violence in the home. TFC and SOS, both long-standing community interventions, form the basis of Homestead’s BCJI Group Violence Intervention (GVI) work. 

At the start of the Planning Phase, the project will convene an Executive Committee of high-level managers in law enforcement, social services, community organizations, and revitalization groups. The Executive Committee will be responsible for developing collective accountability and progress for the GVI initiative. NNSC will serve as a key partner in ensuring successful GVI project implementation and support. A GVI Working Group will engage representatives from law enforcement, social service providers, and respected community members to assist with a comprehensive problem-analysis on violent incident reviews, social network analysis, and identifying crime drivers. 

Goal: To address the crime challenges in Homestead through long-term community-based solutions that incorporate the BCJI model.  

The proposed strategies include: 

• A data-driven, person and place-based strategy to problem solve (identifiable target area).  

• Strong community involvement in the GVI framework through the existing foundation where there is community trust and commitment. 

• Using enforcement initiatives strategically (focus area policing) and in partnership with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies working with high-risk networks.  

• Providing a moral voice to reach out to offenders to offer them a way out.  

• To provide the linkage between community-based support services and residents in the target area (Care Coordination). 

• Community policing “roundtable” discussion with residents to identify issues and solutions in the targeted area.  

• To bring forth organizational transition within the police department to expand community policing efforts that address resident concerns.  

Through the Homestead Team's partnership with National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC) at John Jay College, they plan to implement a Group Violence Intervention (GVI) program including the following strategies to address violent crime, deter groups and networks from committing violence, and mobilize support and perform outreach to identified group members with a desire to desist from criminal behavior.

• Custom Notifications: To prevent retaliatory violence, individuals identified during weekly shooting reviews are assessed for their risk factors, delivered customized messages of deterrence, and offered connections to supportive services.
• Sanctions: Enforcing penalties for illegal activities will help ensure increased accountability and will be used to lead strategic efforts and monitor criminogenic business.
• Call Ins: The GVI partnership will clearly communicate a credible message against violence, a credible police message about the consequences of further violence, and a credible offer of help for those who want it.
• Knock and Talk: HPD's Community Policing Unit, social service providers, and the GVI Working Group will conduct door-to-door informational campaigns to inform residents about violence in their neighborhoods, encourage them to report suspicious activity, and bring attention to GVI efforts and services provided.
• Evidence-Based Care Coordination: The GVI Project Manager will orchestrate collaboration amongst partnering agencies to provide holistic support services to those identified through the GVI strategy. The intention is to mitigate the impact of violent crime through the linkage of community-based resources, residents, and governmental stakeholders.
• Town Halls: Bi-annual meetings with residents, community stakeholders, and police will help improve community-police relationships and review and address the findings of community surveys on public safety.
• Community Engagement: Community feedback will be used to increase awareness of community initiatives.
• Promoting Victim Services: The GVI Project Manager will ensure that all crime victims in the target area receive immediate Victim Advocacy support services to enable victims to mitigate the traumatic impact of crime while empowering them to become a member of the community collaboration that fights back against the criminal element. 

Homestead Police Department, Miami-Dade County, National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC), Project Safe Neighborhoods, law enforcement, community residents and stakeholders, governmental agencies, social services partners