Violence Intervention Terms and Definitions
People use lots of terms interchangeably to describe the professionals who do community based public safety work. Here is the Collective's glossary.
Violence Interrupter: Professionally trained individual who responds to or intervenes in social group/gang crisis and aftermath. Possesses the capability to mediate conflicts, prevent retaliatory shootings and handle rumor control. (AKA Community Interventionist)
High-risk Interventionist: Specially trained and certified person who provides high level crisis response to a variety of situations causing trauma in a community. Responds when immediate response is necessary.
Outreach Worker: Connects to hard-to-reach members of the community and provides services outside the normal reach to individuals, liaisons between the field of work being represented and the community, ability to identify and target populations in need, linkage and short-term stabilization, bringing education and awareness to their service area, provide service referrals.
Community Navigator: Practitioner trained in multiple disciplines who works in coordination with human services, public health and public safety providers. (AKA Social Worker)
Community Health Worker: Specially trained interventionist who responds to violence prone individuals in a hospital setting. Connects individuals with services and mentoring needed to prevent additional violence.
License to Operate: Community leaders with connection and access needed for violence prevention and intervention, often referred to as LTOs. This person may be a freelancer, not formally connected to any organization but available to assist. CBPS organizations typically have relationships with numerous LTOs.