Interrogating the Notion of Evidence-Based Policy in Community-Based Violence Prevention

Abstract

Community organizations addressing violence in New York City are historically under-resourced and under-supported by government and philanthropic sectors. When the city finally decided to develop policy initiatives to support community-based violence prevention, an emphasis was placed on evidence-based models at the potential exclusion of local knowledge. It is troubling that community organizations working to end violence in New York City’s Black communities received little government support until an external evidence-based model was adopted. It is a commonly held belief that relying on scientific evidence in public policy can lead to more effective policies through minimizing irrationality in decision making. Despite this commonly accepted wisdom, evidence-based policy has fundamental challenges. Public policy is value oriented, and values shape how evidence is produced and used. This study explored the challenges of producing and implementing evidence-based policies in community-based violence prevention. The study found the current social process of evidence in violence prevention aligned with neoliberal governance. In response, violence prevention professionals need to arm themselves with evidence to survive in the market of policy ideas.