NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gun violence is a massive problem in America. Black communities are especially vulnerable.
A new CDC report shows that Black Americans are four times more likely to be killed by a gun compared to the overall population.
After decades of failed policies addressing gun violence, some community members are taking matters in their own hands and working as violence interruptors. Most violence interrupters are former criminals who commit to helping the community prevent more crime from happening.
On this week’s Beyond Black History Month, we visit the office of Save Our Streets Bed-Stuy, a violence interruption organization in Brooklyn, and hear from employees who are on the streets de-escalating conflict everyday.
Joined by Dr. Jeffery Butts, the director of the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, we break down the data behind these programs and how effective they are at stopping violence in its tracks.