AKRON, Ohio — The city of Akron is now taking a more community-based approach to preventing violence in the city.

The new incentive is called the “Akron Street Team Pilot Program,” where rehabilitated citizens with criminal backgrounds will connect directly with Akron residents, especially Akron’s youth.

This new program is in partnership with the Minority Behavioral Health Group.

This program is not a door-to-door situation where the City of Akron focuses on specific wards.

Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said people who have repeat offenses or are in and out of police custody will be targeted as part of the program to hopefully intervene before those troubled people continue down a bad life path .

The pilot program is being developed from a public health approach, combining elements of street outreach, violence disruption, case management, community navigation, mental health and data analysis.

Malik said there was a piece missing when he addressed the violence in Akron.

“Where I think a lot of people have seen a gap is in trying to reach people from a community perspective, and they’re really reaching out predominantly to at-risk youth and saying here are your options, you can continue to get away from risky behaviors that it turns into deadly behaviors or that’s where all the resources or opportunities are in the community,” Malik said. “But also recognizing, and this has become a practice across the country, they need to hear it from someone who has some kind of credibility.”

The city will hire former felons or those with troubled pasts who have “served time and turned their lives around” to help Akron’s most at-risk families and individuals, Malik said.

These people will be called “credible messengers”.

Malik said he doesn’t think there’s a single solution to fixing violence in the community, but believes “intervention” work could be a start.

The pilot program will last 18 months.

The program is still in development; people need to be hired and it’s not off the ground yet. It could take years to see the effects and gather research.