Gun and gender based violence have been a decades long fight for the City of Oakland. Government agencies, non-profit service providers, and community members have worked tirelessly to end gun
violence and human trafficking in Oakland. And while the city has seen some progress, it has been widely uneven. Gun and intimate partner violence and sexual exploitation continue to plague black and brown communities at alarming rates.
The Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) was established in 2017 to tackle the problem of violence in Oakland. Where previous city programs focused primarily on those at the center of violence, the DVP has an expanded prevention and intervention mission of advocating for and supporting families impacted by unsolved cold cases and addressing broader community trauma. The ultimate goal is a safer and thriving Oakland for all.
Through the application of a public health approach, the Department of Violence Prevention’s Strategic Spending Plan for FY 2022-24 details the investments and strategies for combating violent crime in Oakland. These strategies emphasize coordination of public systems and community-based services with a joint focus on youth and young adults at highest risk of violence as guided by data analysis.