HART

That’s why Harris County is launching two proven smart on crime initiatives that will help make all our communities safer:

A gun violence prevention program that will reduce shootings and stop the spread of further violence by interrupting ongoing conflicts. Cities and counties across the world have developed violence interruption programs like the one proposed in Harris County. Impacts include:

• 63% decrease in shootings and 30% reduction in gun injuries in South Bronx
• 30% reduction in shootings in Philadelphia over two years
• 70% reduction in likelihood of arrest following a violent injury hospitalization in Oakland
• 0% re-injury rate in an Indianapolis hospital-based program
• 50% reduction in gunshot wounds and killings from 2007 to 2019 in Richmond, California.
• In June 2021, the South Baltimore area (where the violence intervention program Safe Streets Baltimore operates) marked a full year without any homicides.

A targeted first responder program that will allow peace officers to focus on solving crimes and use trained health professionals to respond to 911 calls related to homelessness, behavioral health, substance use or non-emergency health or social welfare issues (an estimated 21%-38% of 911 calls).