Milwaukee Releases ‘Blueprint’ To Stem Violence In City

The city of Milwaukee has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at lowering violence.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Blueprint for Peace takes a public health approach, looking at causes of violence and modeling strategies seen in other cities.

Mayor Tom Barrett says he hopes it “creates a new sense of urgency and new momentum.”

The city’s Office of Violence Prevention spearheaded creation of the nearly 100-page plan. It’s organized around six broad goals: stop the shooting; promote healing and restorative justice; support children, youth and families; promote economic opportunity; foster safe and strong neighborhoods; and strengthen the coordination of violence prevention efforts.

According to the Journal Sentinel, the plan will focus on 10 “priority neighborhoods” that were “selected based on their relatively high rates of simple assaults, aggravated, nonfatal shootings and homicides from 2014 to 2016.”

The paper continues:

Those metrics will continue to be tracked, as will rates of youth employment, to measure effectiveness. The plan also calls for periodic youth and adult surveys to gauge perceptions of safety and awareness of resources.

The blueprint is scheduled to be discussed Monday before the Common Council’s Public Safety and Health Committee. A series of neighborhood meetings also are planned.