ST. LOUIS, Mo. – “You Paid For It” investigator Elliott Davis learns that the coronavirus crisis is delaying the implementation of an anti-crime program called Cure Violence. The Board of Aldermen appropriated $5 million for the program that’s supposed to cut homicides as much as 50 percent. But the city has been slow in getting the program put in place.
A contract has been awarded to a company to hire workers for Cure Violence but the workers are not hired yet. Meanwhile, murders in St. Louis are up about 23 percent from this time a year ago.
The Krewson administration says right now they’re focused on dealing with slowing the spread of COVID-19. It seems that Cure Violence is taking a back seat right now.
Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed says the program should have been put in place sooner. He says the city can’t use coronavirus as an excuse when it could have gotten the program up and running before the crisis hit.
Mayor Krewson’s spokesman said that even if Cure Violence had been put in place before now it more than likely would have been slowed by the social distancing and stay-at-home orders.
Part of Cure Violence involves hiring former criminals to go out and convince current criminals to forgo vengeance.
Right now no one is sure when Cure Violence will be up and running. A representative for Mayor Krewson’s office says it all depends on what happens with the pandemic.
