Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 626 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

Once jailed, these women now hold courts accountable — with help from students, retirees and Fiona Apple

Katie Mettler

April 09, 2021 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Court Watch PG acts as a traditional court watch program for Maryland's Prince George's County, but with a twist: the two formerly incarcerated women running it turned adversity, in the form of the pandemic's shutdown of trials, into opportunity in the form of a nationwide crew of volunteers watching over Zoom. The watchers attend bond hearings, where people jailed on pending charges try to gain pretrial release. After observing thousands of hearings, Court Watch PG has exposed flaws in the system, which it pushes to reform through the more than 100 "accountability letters" it has sent justice officials.

Read More
Go to Original Story
This Sacramento-area city is paying homeless people to clean up camps — and it's paying off

Vincent Moleski

April 07, 2021 |

Sacramento Bee |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Elk Grove, California

Residents experiencing homelessness in Elk Grove, California, are being paid to clean up their encampments. The job was done by public services employees prior to the pandemic and cost the city upwards of $10,000. Now, the city is saving money while providing residents with gift cards that allow them to purchase basic necessities such as hygiene products and food.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Can ‘Bystander Intervention Training' Stop Hate Crimes?

Stacey Anderson

April 04, 2021 |

New York Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

High-profile violence directed at Asian-Americans generated enormous interest in bystander intervention training. The most popular program in New York, a free online course from Hollaback!, teaches five approaches to intervening in a nonviolent incident, when someone is being harassed. Research has shown the method to be effective at interrupting an attack. Some critics see these methods as too short-term a solution, but other experts say they can helpfully make people more aware of threats to others and more able to respond in the moment, rather than freezing uncomfortably in the presence of a bias attack.

Read More
Go to Original Story
There's a new approach to police response to mental health emergencies. Taking the police out of it

Chris James

April 02, 2021 |

CNN |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

San Francisco's Street Crisis Response Team replaces or aids police officers in responding to calls about people in nonviolent behavioral health crises. A collaboration of the city's fire and health departments, the program puts three-person teams – social workers, paramedics, and peer counselors – on patrol to respond to calls or to look for people in crisis. The $4 million pilot project has taken 800 calls in its first four months, connecting people to the care they need without the violence that can occur when police are first responders. The city hopes to expand its hours to 24/7 soon.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Police are often first responders to mental health crises, but tragedies are prompting change

Julianne Hill

April 01, 2021 |

ABA Journal |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Eugene, Oregon

Chicago's debate over which responses to mental health crises will avoid needless police shootings and other tragedies led city council members to the CAHOOTS model. The Eugene, Ore., program sends two unarmed first responders to provide links to needed services without bringing people to jail or a hospital. This diverts about 20% of 911 calls away from police, saving the city millions and improving outcomes for people in need. A much larger city has different needs. Chicago police have crisis intervention team training. A small co-responder team of mental health professionals will be added at first.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Texas Considers a Novel Push for Gun Violence Prevention

Chip Brownlee

March 31, 2021 |

The Trace |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Fort Worth, Texas

VIP Fort Worth modeled itself on a number of violence-intervention programs with a blended approach that has been so successful in such a short time that Texas officials are considering investing in a statewide version. Street outreach workers, many of them former gang members, mediate disputes and counsel young men at risk of getting shot or shooting others. In its first five months, it says it has prevented dozens of shootings through hundreds of direct contacts with people on the streets. Like the programs it's modeled on, it is an alternative to policing, operating independently.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Inside the community patrols in San Francisco's Chinatown

Samantha Michaels

March 30, 2021 |

Mother Jones |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Rising alarm over hate crimes targeting Asian-Americans, particularly the elderly, drew many volunteers to the community patrols that have organized over the past year in the Bay Area. Chinatown Safety Patrol, started just weeks before the Atlanta spa murders, suddenly attracted dozens of people willing to watch over and help elderly neighbors, giving them the confidence to go about their lives on the streets. The patrols serve as a deterrent to predatory violence. They also can deescalate conflict. Their main function is to protect residents in ways that the police can't or won't.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Newark-based violence prevention group seeks to bridge gap between police, social services

Rebecca Panico

March 28, 2021 |

NJ Advance Media |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Newark, New Jersey

Newark's Community Street Team hires and trains formerly incarcerated people and people who have been victims of violence to mediate disputes before they turn violent. Street outreach interventions have been associated with large declines in homicides and assaults, although the programs can overlap with others seeking the same goal. Newark's team will now serve as the hub for a national effort, the Community Based Public Safety Association, to professionalize such work nationwide. The group will seek more public funding and try to raise the visibility of such policing alternatives.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How a Colorado town is untangling behavioral health care from the criminal justice system

Sady Swanson

March 22, 2021 |

Coloradoan |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Fort Collins, Colorado

Acting on a recognition that police and the criminal justice system are too involved in responses to mental health and substance abuse crises, UCHealth formed mental health response teams that partner with Fort Collins police on such calls. In about 80% of calls the teams handled, no arrests were made while people received treatment or were referred to needed services. This program plus one that diverts certain criminal cases into treatment, which can result in dismissal of charges, have built-in drawbacks but have begun de-emphasizing criminal-justice remedies when people need other help.

Read More
Go to Original Story
‘Meeting people where they're at': How mobile crisis-response teams work

Charnel Anderson

March 15, 2021 |

TVO |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Thunder Bay police formed IMPACT (Integrated Mobile Police Assessment Crisis Team), pairing crisis responders with mental health expertise with police officers to respond 24/7 to people experiencing mental health crises. Instead of defaulting to police responses, which risk the use of force and often land people in custody or a hospital, the teams often are able to get people connected to needed social and health services. So far the team has managed to divert about 40 percent of calls to helping services.

Read More
Go to Original Story