Chicago CRED is a non-profit organization based in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. The organization aims to prevent gun violence in the city by developing relationships and providing a presence within the community to defuse potential violence before it happens rather than by relying on police to intervene or respond. The organization works by identifying both those most likely to engage in gun violence and possible potential victims of gun violence. It employs a

violence interruption Cure Violence is a public health approach to violence prevention and reduction. It aims to stop the spread of violence in communities by using the methods and strategies associated with epidemic disease control: detecting and interrupting confl ...

model. Organization volunteers and staff, many of whom are themselves former gang members, intervene to persuade those likely to engage in such violence by offering them a

stipend A stipend is a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses, such as for scholarship, internship, or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from an income or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work pe ...

and access to support systems such as mentors, coaches and therapists. Therapists use cognitive behavior techniques. Individuals who remain in the program for at least a year receive help finding jobs. When gun violence is threatened or expected, such as in the case of expected retaliation or tips received, staff and volunteers go to the area to provide a "peacekeeper" presence or otherwise intervene to try to discourage violence or prevent it from escalating. The organization was founded in 2016 by

Arne Duncan Arne Starkey Duncan (born November 6, 1964) is an American educator and former professional basketball player who served as the 9th United States secretary of education from 2009 to 2015 and as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools ...

and

Laurene Powell Jobs Laurene Powell Jobs ( Powell; born November 6, 1963)United States birth records is an American billionaire businesswoman executive and philanthropist. She is the widow of Steve Jobs, who was the co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc., and she m ...

. Duncan, who returned to Chicago in 2015 after serving in the federal administration, conducted research in the

Cook County Jail The Cook County Jail, located on in South Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois, is operated by the Sheriff of Cook County. It is sometimes referred to as ''California'' or ''Hotel California'', as its address is on California Avenue. A city jail has e ...

and in the community, specifically asking young men who had committed acts of gun violence, "How much money would it take for you to put down the guns?" He was surprised that the answer was a $12 to $13-an-hour job, at the time less than Chicago's minimum wage. He developed the idea of the stipend as a way to enable young men to accept help in the form of time spent in therapy and coaching as well as to attend high school classes. The organization operates out of the Youth Peace Center in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood in the city's South Side. The organization's name is an acronym that stands for "Create Real Economic Destiny". A

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

written by

Anna Deavere Smith Anna Deavere Smith (born September 18, 1950) is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is known for her roles as National Security Advisor Dr. Nancy McNally in ''The West Wing'' (2000–06), hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus i ...

that was based on her interviews of organization members was performed in Chicago as part of an opera in 2023.

References

{{Reflist Non-profit organizations based in Chicago Violence interruption 2016 establishments in Illinois