Photo from Nova video.
NoVA worker Michael Toombs tells a client, “You kinda got your life back, was that kinda good?”
The client answers, “There ain’t no kinda about it.”
The Kansas City No Violence Alliance on Tuesday released a mid-year report and video on its efforts to help people.
Police have cited NoVA and a recent police reorganization as factors in reducing the number of homicides.
On Monday, Police Chief Darryl Forte blogged that homicides for the year stood at 34 for the first six months of the year, a 30 percent reduction from 49 at the same time last year.
NoVA uses police intelligence to identify and target potential offenders but also tries to intervene and get them out of crime.
By mid-year, its client advocates have assessed 160 persons and delivered services that include literacy training, anger management, mental health assessment, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment and job training.
Also, client advocates have made more than 1,000 home visits to engage people, the report states.
NoVA is multi-agency effort that combines city, state and federal law enforcement with social service groups and others.
It uses a “focused deterrence” model to offer services to potential offenders while it takes efficient and strong action against those who commit violent acts or kill.
In the video, NoVA worker Andre Carson said clients want a different life.
“They may not know what that difference is but they know they want to do something different – that’s where we come in….”
http://youtu.be/_i4tePBmakk
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