{"id":64781,"date":"2025-01-21T07:39:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T12:39:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=64781"},"modified":"2025-01-29T07:46:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T12:46:26","slug":"introducing-the-violence-reduction-initiative-how-research-is-reshaping-criminal-justice-in-chattanooga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/01\/introducing-the-violence-reduction-initiative-how-research-is-reshaping-criminal-justice-in-chattanooga\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing the Violence Reduction Initiative: How research is reshaping criminal justice in Chattanooga"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dr.

Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt, left, shown with graduate student Ellie Yates, spearheaded the creation of the Violence Reduction Initiative\u2014a UTC research center designed to address violent crime in Chattanooga and beyond. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

For more than a decade as a police officer in Northwest Missouri, Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt patrolled neighborhoods plagued by poverty and violence\u2014often finding himself more mentor than lawman.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of these kids lacked a positive male role model,\u201d he explained. \u201cThe minute they had someone in their life they didn\u2019t want to disappoint, the cycle of crime often stopped.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not rocket science. It\u2019s about treating people with decency and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, as a UC Foundation associate professor and head of the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Dierenfeldt has brought that same philosophy to academia. It is the cornerstone of the Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI)\u2014a research center he spearheaded to address violent crime in Chattanooga and beyond.<\/p>\n

Housed within UTC\u2019s Criminal Justice department, the VRI represents a bold commitment to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe establishment of the Violence Reduction Initiative places our program and University in a better position to address these concerns,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u201cSpecifically, it will make us more competitive for external funding, encourage a higher level of community engagement, support student-faculty research collaboration, and put us in a position to produce research and policy that address timely, important and highly visible issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UC

UC Foundation Associate Professor Rick Dierenfeldt works with students in a criminology course.<\/p><\/div>\n

The seeds for the VRI were planted shortly after Dierenfeldt joined the UTC faculty when\u2014in 2020\u2014he began working with the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) to implement and evaluate the Scenic City Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC).<\/p>\n

Over three years, Dierenfeldt assisted the CPD<\/strong><\/a> by conducting statistical analysis, producing policy-driven technical reports and providing CGIC with new metrics that could be used to guide practices designed to reduce gun violence in Chattanooga.<\/p>\n

A great deal was achieved during the three-year period, including a 27% decrease in firearm homicides, a 36% decrease in overall homicides and a 42% decrease in shooting victims.<\/p>\n

One key innovation from the CGIC research was the reconceptualization of \u201ccase closure\u201d metrics. Traditional practices often overlooked the role of firearms themselves in perpetuating crime. Dierenfeldt\u2019s analysis revealed that many crime guns were used repeatedly in multiple incidents.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe offenders had been apprehended, but the guns were still in circulation,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

His research inspired CPD to reopen 300 closed cases to locate and seize those firearms. The result? Fewer weapons on the streets and fewer opportunities for violence.<\/p>\n

The success of the CGIC became a national model, earning the ATF\u2019s Excellence in Crime Gun Intelligence Award and inspiring replication efforts in over 60 jurisdictions. Sgt. Josh May, a UTC alum who led the CGIC, shared Chattanooga\u2019s success story across the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen a practitioner with such a strong grasp of theory and methods,\u201d Dierenfeldt said of May. \u201cHe understood the importance of data collection and analysis, and he took it upon himself to ensure it was done right.\u201d<\/p>\n

This success sparked a question that would ultimately lead to the creation of the VRI in 2024: How could UTC expand its reach to tackle violent crime on a broader scale?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we achieved in Chattanooga wasn\u2019t part of a statewide trend,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u2018There was an opportunity here to expand our reach and partner with more agencies and service providers in the community to pursue more externally-funded partnerships and really embrace this idea of data-informed, evidence-based practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I ended up pitching to the University was that we could open a research center and use that to focus on relationships with community partners to seek external funding.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proposal, he said, gained rapid approval from UTC leadership\u2014including Provost Jerold Hale, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Pam Riggs-Gelasco, Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Meredith Perry and Dean of the Graduate School Ethan Carver. He also credited Academic Affairs Director of Space Management Theresa Liedtka for facilitating the reallocation of office space needed to house the VRI.<\/p>\n

\u201cFull credit goes to them for seeing the value in what we were trying to do here and investing in it immediately. I\u2019ve never seen anything move this fast,\u201d Dierenfeldt said.<\/p>\n

After getting the approval to move forward, Dierenfeldt and the VRI sought funding activity\u2014and two collaborations were awarded federal grants.<\/p>\n

First, Hamilton County Alternative Sentencing Programs\u2014in partnership with a Criminal Justice team of Dierenfeldt, Dr. Andrew Denney, Dr. Gale Iles and Dr. Sherah Basham\u2014was awarded an $844,294 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) as part of the Second Chance Act Smart Supervision Program.<\/p>\n

The three-year project, titled the Recidivism Reduction Initiative (RRI)<\/strong><\/a>, is designed to improve public safety by reducing recidivism rates among justice-involved individuals in Hamilton County\u2019s misdemeanor supervision programs.<\/p>\n

Recidivism is defined as the act of someone committing a crime again after having already been punished or gone through the justice system for a previous offense. It refers to how often people return to criminal behavior after being released from jail, prison or another form of correctional supervision.<\/p>\n

The RRI, managed through Hamilton County\u2019s Alternative Sentencing Programs, focuses on implementing evidence-based supervision strategies and providing essential services to participants. As the research partner, the Criminal Justice program provides ongoing analysis of program outcomes, including recidivism rates, compliance with supervision and the overall effectiveness of interventions offered to participants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis grant allows us to implement risk\/needs assessments and a new incentive\/consequence matrix,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u201cThe initiative is about evidence-based, trauma-informed strategies for dealing with offenders, many of whom have experienced substance abuse or early childhood traumas, known as adverse childhood experiences. By addressing these needs, we hope to reduce recidivism and improve community safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

The RRI officially launched in January and runs through September 2027.<\/p>\n

Shortly after learning that RRI had received funding, another award came through\u2014a $1,999,187 grant from BJA for a partnership with the City of Chattanooga for the Chattanooga United to Reduce Violence (CURV)<\/strong><\/a> initiative.<\/p>\n

CURV, led by the city\u2019s Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention, seeks to reduce gun violence in high-crime, high-risk neighborhoods through evidence-based, community-focused strategies. The initiative includes expanding structured after-school activities for youth, providing trauma-informed mental health services, offering wraparound support for families and deploying violence interrupters.<\/p>\n

\u201cViolence is often concentrated in specific neighborhoods and among young people who lack access to structured, supervised activities,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u201cBy addressing these root causes and providing meaningful support, CURV aims to reduce opportunities for victimization and offending.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dierenfeldt said the three-year grant will allow UTC researchers to assess the impact of CURV\u2019s strategies and provide data-driven insights to inform future violence prevention efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe research will involve multiple faculty, graduate students and a postdoctoral scholar hired specifically for this project,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate our capacity for quality research, inform policy and practice, and stand united with the city of Chattanooga to reduce violence in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concept of \u201cviolence interrupters\u201d was particularly innovative. Dierenfeldt described them as community members with ties to high-risk neighborhoods who are trained to identify and de-escalate potentially violent situations.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of these individuals have histories with gang activity themselves, but that makes them credible messengers,\u201d he said. \u201cThey know where this path leads and they can intervene before a situation escalates.\u201d<\/p>\n

In one striking example, a single retaliatory shooting in Chattanooga was linked to 22 additional violent incidents.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if you could diffuse it after that first one?\u201d Dierenfeldt asked. \u201cYou have 22 shootings that don\u2019t happen, lives that aren\u2019t destroyed, families that aren\u2019t devastated. That\u2019s the power of this work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dr.

Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt (green shirt) has collaborated with numerous agencies since arriving at UTC.<\/p><\/div>\n

A second-generation police officer and first-generation college student, Dierenfeldt\u2019s first attempt at college ended during his sophomore year \u201cbecause I couldn\u2019t figure out what I was doing there.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a few years in the field, though, he went back to college\u2014as a 26-year-old\u2014to pursue an associate degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the first paper I wrote in the first class that I took\u2014once they figured out I hadn\u2019t plagiarized the thing\u2014the professor pulled me aside to know what my future plans were,\u201d Dierenfeldt recalled. \u201cI said, \u2018I\u2019m getting my associate degree and I\u2019m going to stay in the field.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018No, you\u2019re not. You\u2019re going to do your bachelor\u2019s, then you\u2019re going to get your master\u2019s and you\u2019re going to get your Ph.D.\u2019 The best thing I ever did was listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dierenfeldt went on to receive a bachelor\u2019s degree from Missouri Western State University, a master\u2019s degree from the University of Central Missouri and a doctoral degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2014where his dissertation was titled \u201cDisentangling the effects of violent subculture and structure: A multi-level analysis of race-specific gun violence in urban U.S. counties.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dierenfeldt, who joined the UTC faculty in 2018, said his early experiences in law enforcement shaped his belief in the power of relationships to drive change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will always miss the field aspects of it, working directly in the community and working with the kids,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was my favorite part\u2014getting them out of those lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>\n

He recounted how, as a young officer, he worked to build trust with at-risk youth in his district. By engaging with them, learning their names and offering his phone number for late-night calls, he created a network of trust that yielded tangible results.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrime went down 40% in my district that first year,\u201d he said. \u201cWho was committing it? Those kids. And then it stopped because they had someone they didn\u2019t want to disappoint. This was not a problem that you had to arrest away; you had to build a relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you going to reach or save all of them? No. But could you make a dent? You\u2019re darn right you could. I don\u2019t care what anybody says; you can change the world. You do it every day by how you treat people.\u201d<\/p>\n

This philosophy, he said, is reinforced in his VRI approach. The initiative focuses on collaboration and accountability, bringing together diverse stakeholders to create lasting change.<\/p>\n

Dierenfeldt said agencies that were once hesitant to work with academics have been reaching out for assistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen an incredible level of trust and interest from partners who want to address issues with evidence-based solutions,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a turning point for how the community views our role in criminal justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pointed to partnerships with groups like the Dr. Carol B. Berz Family Justice Center and the Fannie Mae Crumsey Foundation. The Family Justice Center, which focuses on reducing domestic violence, identified several funding opportunities with the VRI\u2019s help. The Crumsey Foundation works to de-stigmatize mental health in underserved communities, particularly among young men.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese collaborations expand our reach and allow us to tackle complex issues from multiple angles,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u201cWe\u2019re out in the community and we\u2019re working with agencies, building bridges and showing what\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dierenfeldt\u2019s approach also recognizes the importance of mentoring students. The VRI will become a platform for graduate assistants and postdoctoral researchers to engage in hands-on, impactful work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re training the next generation of researchers,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u201cThey leave here with real-world experience, ready to contribute to communities across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initiative\u2019s success has already drawn attention from the UT System, which sees the VRI as a model for innovative, community-focused research.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this isn\u2019t just about the research,\u201d Dierenfeldt said. \u201cIt\u2019s about making a difference. It\u2019s about showing that evidence-based practices can save lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the progress, Dierenfeldt knows there are challenges ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cChattanooga still faces significant violence,\u201d he said, \u201cbut the VRI is showing what\u2019s possible when academics and practitioners work together.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe support from the University and our community partners has been incredible. This is the kind of work that can inspire change\u2014and we\u2019re just getting started.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

UTC Criminal Justice<\/a><\/p>\n

UTC announces launch of the Violence Reduction Initiative<\/a><\/p>\n

Hamilton County and UTC receive $844,294 federal grant to support Recidivism Reduction Initiative<\/a><\/p>\n

City of Chattanooga and UTC receive $2 million federal grant for CURV initiative<\/a><\/p>\n

UTC professor, students helping Chattanooga Police decrease gun crimes<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\u201cWe\u2019ve

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen an incredible level of trust and interest from partners who want to address issues with evidence-based solutions,\u201d Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt said of the Violence Reduction Initiative. \u201cThis is a turning point for how the community views our role in criminal justice.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt has spearheaded the creation of the Violence Reduction Initiative, a UTC research center designed to address violent crime in Chattanooga and beyond. Housed within UTC\u2019s Criminal Justice department, the VRI represents a bold commitment to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world solutions.<\/p>\n

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