'Focused deterrence' guides individuals out of violence, gives 2nd chances
Detroit uses 'focused deterrence' to reduce violence in city
"With focused deterrence, the police and representatives from the community engage with those at high risk of being a party to violence and convey clear incentives for avoiding violence and deterrents for engaging in violence," according to the RAND Better Policing Toolkit.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - An effort known as focused deterrence aims to discourage criminal activity and give individuals second chances. Detroit began implementing the strategy, which is contributing to the decrease in the number of homicides in the city.
The Detroit Police Department recorded its lowest homicide rate since 1966 last year – with 252 people killed. It's an 18.4% drop since 2022.
"We’ll take it," said Detroit community activist Maurice Harwick, better known as Pastor Mo. "We’ll take it because when we have the high numbers, we have to deal with those."
Mo has been involved in focused deterrence and has seen a difference, he said.
"I’ve been there," he said. "When they knock at your door and there’s a warrant for your arrest, you got to deal with that. But then there’s been a second knock at your door – saying ‘we don’t want to arrest you. We want to give you a chance, a way out of this.’"
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"With focused deterrence, the police and representatives from the community engage with those at high risk of being a party to violence and convey clear incentives for avoiding violence and deterrents for engaging in violence," according to the RAND Better Policing Toolkit.
The program puts "targeted offenders" in a room where they receive information about what would happen if they got out of a life of violence, available support and assistance, as well as the consequences they may face if they persist in their violent behavior.
"The federal government, the state government, the local government, and so forth brings together a number of people who may have been involved with either violent crime or deviant behavior that shouldn’t have taken place and basically say ‘look there’s an alternative to this,'" said Dan DiBardino, CrimeStoppers President and CEO.
DiBardino said the programs help people involved in group violence turn their lives around – if they make the right choice.
"They’re telling these ladies and gentlemen, we’ll help you get counseling. We’ll help you get jobs. We’ll help you if you determine that maybe you’re stuck in a gang or gang-related activities, and you want to get out," DiBardino said. "There is hope that things can happen. And we will be able help you make things happen, so you can move on with your life and get it straight."
The program emphasizes that individuals involved in group violence must completely stop, without exceptions or conditions, to participate.
In the meantime, Detroit Police officials said the homicide reduction is proof it takes focused deterrence and various other community-driven programs to get the job done.
"You got Cease Fire in the City of Detroit. You have CrimeStoppers, you have National Action Network. You got Force Detroit. You got several groups, organizations here in the City of Detroit that’s rolling their sleeves up, that’s actually you know – working."