FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 9, 2026

CONTACT:     
Isaiah Cromer (DMPSJ) - 202-374-6873; [email protected] 

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Washington, D.C. has been ranked number one in the nation, for the fourth year in a row, for violence prevention readiness according to the fourth annual Violence Prevention Index (VPI) released by Community Justice, a national nonprofit working to end gun violence in Black and brown communities. The District achieved the highest readiness score among 100 U.S. cities evaluated for their investments in violence prevention strategies and infrastructure. 

The 2025 VPI evaluated the 100 U.S. cities with the highest incidence of gun violence in 2021 and 2022 across 35 criteria spanning three categories:

• Intervention and Risk Factor Reduction, 

• Addressing the Root Causes of Violence, and 

• Local Offices of Violence Prevention. 

Washington, DC has maintained a top ten readiness score in every year since the VPI launched, joining Baltimore, Chicago, Oakland, Philadelphia, and Portland as the only cities to achieve that distinction each year.

Researchers reviewed municipal codes, city contracts, published budgets, and city council records to assess whether local governments provided funding or administrative support during the 2025 calendar year. The VPI measures a city's readiness and investment in violence prevention strategies, rather than the effectiveness of individual programs or overall crime outcomes.

“Being ranked number one in the nation for violence prevention readiness reflects the District’s whole-of-government approach under Mayor Bowser’s leadership to building safer and stronger communities,” said Deputy Mayor Lindsey. “We are committed to continuing to invest in proven strategies that prevent violence, support residents, and strengthen public safety across the District.” 

The District's top ranking reflects investments across a broad range of violence prevention strategies, including outreach-based violence intervention through the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, cognitive behavioral therapy-integrated mentorship programs such as the school-based Becoming a Man program and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services’ Credible Messenger and DC Youth Leadership at Oasis programs, workforce development through Pathways, and trauma-informed counseling, behavioral health, and case management services supported through the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants.

The VPI found the cities with the highest readiness scores were substantially more likely to invest in community violence intervention strategies than other cities evaluated. All 11 cities with the ten highest scores invested in outreach-based violence intervention, compared with 54 percent of the remaining cities. The report also found that 100 percent of top-scoring cities invested in hospital-based violence intervention programs, compared with 25 percent of other cities, while 91 percent invested in cognitive behavioral therapy-integrated mentorship programs, compared with 30 percent of other VPI-rated cities.

The recognition reflects the District's dedication to preventing and reducing violence using a whole-of-government approach; bringing together public safety agencies, schools, workforce development programs, health and human services, and community-based organizations to address both immediate risks and the underlying conditions that contribute to violence.

For a detailed look at the VPI report, click here.