This podcast episode addresses issues related to the Office of Justice Programs, Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative grant.
In this Justice Today episode, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Amy L. Solomon, is joined by Senior Advisor Eddie Bocanegra, to discuss community violence intervention. Bocanegra discusses his own experience with gang violence and incarceration and his work in Chicago and now at OJP, helping the Biden Administration address community-based violence. Before providing a detailed discussion of OJP’s community violence intervention programs and efforts, Bocanegra reflects on his experience in light of his education regarding trauma and how it impacts behavior and mental health, and discusses his leadership of the program, Ready Chicago, which connects young men at high risk of experiencing violence with mental health supports, paid transitional jobs, professional development opportunities, and other services. The episode was recorded before the FY 2022 Office of Justice Programs Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative grant solicitation closed.