Highlights • This study highlights the utility of CBPR and implementation science for crime/violence prevention. • Through cross-sector partnerships, the nature and scope of community crime/violence were assessed. • Findings highlighted an active drug market, high-stress, concern for youth, and lack of trust in police.
Community-based participatory research calls for high levels of community involvement and shared power between community partners and researchers. Though a body of literature exists on the process and outcomes of community-engaged research, to date this literature has primarily been limited to a reporting of individual case studies. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an overarching framework for engaging community members in decision-making action and practices surrounding the community-based participatory research design process. The Assess Connect Transform In Our Neighborhood framework is built on the principle of shared expertise, as researchers and community partners bring with them unique skills, experiences, and competencies that are vital to balancing scientific rigor and community authenticity in community-engaged research. As more researchers understand the “how” of engaging communities in the research design process, research teams may face fewer obstacles to launching research that is realistic, legitimate, and rigorous, leading to actionable community change.
Youth violence is best tackled through a multifaceted approach targeting risk and protective factors at multiple ecological levels. The North Carolina Youth Violence Prevention Center (NC-YVPC) is an example of such an approach. This article provides a comprehensive synthesis of NC-YVPC design, implementation, and results. Method: NC-YVPC packaged and implemented 3 evidencebased programs to decrease youth violence in a rural North Carolina community where violence was prevalent. Positive Action, a universal school-based program, was administered in 13 middle schools for 3 years. Parenting Wisely, an online program to improve parenting skills, was provided to 300 parents. Teen Court, a community-based restorative justice alternative to the traditional juvenile-justice system, was provided to 400 adolescents. In addition, county-level data were collected to examine if and how the NC-YVPC programs changed county levels of youth violence. Results: Positive Action participation was associated with increased self-esteem and decreased school hassles; Parenting Wisely participants were more confident and had less conflict with their children; Teen Court participants reported improved mental and behavioral health. Some county-level indicators of violence decreased. Conclusions: This summary of NC-YVPC findings highlights the utility of implementing a multifaceted approach to decrease and prevent youth violence and the importance of fostering a strong partnership between academic institutions and the community.
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