Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children, Urban
Goal: The goals of the program are to carry out a comprehensive strategy to apprehend and prosecute offenders who carry firearms, to put others on notice that offenders face certain and serious punishment for carrying illegal firearms, and to prevent youths from following the same criminal path.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children
Goal: Florida started the drug court movement by creating the first treatment-based drug court in the nation in 1989. The drug court concept was developed in Dade County (Miami, Florida) stemming from a federal mandate to reduce the inmate population or suffer the loss of federal funding. The Supreme Court of Florida recognized the severity of the situation and directed Judge Herbert Klein to research the problem. Judge Klein determined that a large majority of criminal inmates had been incarcerated because of drug charges and were revolving back through the criminal justice system because of underlying problems of drug addiction. It was decided that the delivery of treatment services needed to be coupled with the criminal justice system and the need for strong judicial leadership and partnerships to bring treatment services and the criminal justice system together.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Urban
Goal: The goal of Peacekeepers is to prevent violence among youth in the Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Employment
Goal: Pioneer's mission is to improve the lives of people on the margins of society through and integrated array of services including housing, employment/training, treatment, counseling, and corrections.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention
Goal: The goal of this program is to encourage police officers to reside in low-income neighborhoods in order to reduce criminal activity.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / School Environment, Children, Teens
Goal: The goal of the PAC program is to reduce recidivism to the In School Suspension system and to reduce students' risk of being expelled, dropping out, or failing out of school.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce short- and long-term antisocial behavior.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Children, Teens, Urban
Goal: The goal of this program is to help divert youths in early stages of delinquency from committing future crimes.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Teens
Goal: To reduce violence among adolescents and young adults living in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty and violence in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Educational Attainment, Teens
Goal: Project CRAFT is designed to improve educational levels, teach vocational skills and reduce recidivism among adjudicated youth, while addressing the home building industry's need for entry level workers.