Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Restorative Justice: Healing Instead of Incarceration

    Prosecutors in Brooklyn and Bronx divert some violent crime cases away from traditional courts to a program called Common Justice, which gives victims a greater say in the outcome – an outcome chosen by 9 out of 10 victims served by the agency because it provides a more healing alternative to the incarceration that has caused so many social problems in their neighborhoods. Through restorative justice dialog between victims and those who harmed them, agreements are forged whereby the responsible party will atone for his crime through restitution, community service, or other means.

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  • An alternative to police: Mental health team responds to emergencies in Oregon

    In Eugene, Oregon, the Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS) initiative is providing a police-free response to mental health crises in the community. The mobile mental health unit responds to calls involving individuals with mental health issues, are trained in de-escalation, and provide in-the-moment services like transportation or access to wrap around services. These types of services have become more popular, with cities around the country piloting them.

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  • Taking The Cops Out Of Mental Health-Related 911 Rescues

    Eugene, Oregon’s Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) program provides specialists in response to mental health-related calls instead of police. The 30-year-old program partners with nonprofits, law enforcement, and social services to provide individuals in crisis the resources they need. Around the country, cities like Denver, Oakland, and Vancouver seek to implement similar approaches, recognizing the need for more supportive, community-oriented approaches to mental health.

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  • Cleveland Rape Crisis Center responds to need with new office in Shaker Square

    The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center spent months deeply listening to their community before opening a new location in Shaker Square. The new location was decided upon as a direct response to the stated needs of the African-American community, who often face unique challenges in reporting and being treated for sexual assault. The center is funded by Ohio’s Victims of Crime Act program, and besides offering standard sexual assault services like counseling and case management, it also does community outreach beyond sexual violence.

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  • In Ecuador, one woman has given shelter to over 8,500 Venezuelans

    Carmen Carcelen lives in northern Ecuador with her husband, eight children, and hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who are fleeing poverty, violence, and hyperinflation at home. Carcelen has been providing food and shelter (and even foot rubs) to over 8,500 migrants for two years now. Carcelen says that she is spurred to action by her Christian faith, but welcomes any donations because it is currently financed on her husband's small income.

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  • How giant African rats are helping uncover deadly land mines in Cambodia

    Cambodia is littered with unexploded land mines, posing a huge threat to people even decades after the conflict. In order to help locate and remove mines, a unique organization named Apopo trains rats to sniff them out. Rats have extremely sensitive noses and have found about 500 mines and more than 350 unexploded bombs in Cambodia since 2016. The drawback is the pace of the long, tedious, and dangerous work.

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  • In South Africa, a Call to Punish Rapists

    In Diepsloot, South Africa, a small office called Lawyers Against Abuse offers legal support for sexual assault cases in a violent city that traditionally does little to address the issue. The organization offers lawyers, victim advocates, legal counseling, and therapy as they go through the process. Since 2015, they have helped more than 800 women and secured 28 convictions.

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  • Video Helps Domestic Violence Victims — When Courts Have It

    In parts of five states and the District of Columbia, domestic violence victims can avoid the trauma and logistical hassles of seeking a restraining order in court by petitioning for court protection via video. Certain counties in Oklahoma, Oregon, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and D.C. allow victims to get help without facing their abusers in court. But a host of barriers have slowed the rollout of such services: limited court budgets, technical security concerns, lack of training, and poor internet connections in rural areas that could be helped by not requiring travel to courthouses.

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  • KCPD CIT provides alternative to jail for mentally ill

    Kansas City’s Police Department has created a Crisis Intervention Unit with the goal of broadening their outreach and engagement with individuals with mental illnesses. Rather than send them through the criminal justice system, officers involved in this unit instead help them access the care, support, and treatment they need.

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  • Outreach Teams Have Police Helping, not Arresting, Homeless People

    Embedded in Denver’s police department is the Homeless Outreach Unit, dedicated to building relationships with and providing access to services for the city’s population experiencing housing insecurity. They work closely with social workers and nonprofits in the city to work against the criminalization of homelessness, instead, taking a solutions oriented approach. The unit has helped build trust between those residents and police and has seen a 30% increase in referrals to homeless shelters.

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