Hope 4 Johnstown is in the process of bringing a program modeled after Cure Violence Global to stop the violence.

Cure Violence programs works on the premise that violence is contagious and acts like an infectious disease. Once violence erupts, it spreads like an infection among the people it touches.

Violence is also a socially learned behavior, and thus individuals who are exposed to violence are more likely to engage in it. Rather than placing blame on individuals who have been raised in a violent environment, we are developing a program that will break the cycle of violence and change social norms.

There are three critical elements to our program: Highly trained individuals with social credibility work in the community to detect incidences that can lead to violent outcomes, and stop them before the escalate. The workers also help change the attitudes of individuals who engage in violence. Lastly, the community must mobilize to spread the word that violence is unacceptable.