Syracuse Truce, a focused deterrence initiative, was launched In 2013, following several months of preparatory work. Syracuse Truce is based on the group violence reduction strategy pioneered in Boston as Operation Ceasefire in the 1990s and replicated since then in a number of cities, including Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Lowell (MA). It provides for holding gangs collectively responsible for the violence committed by their members, and also for direct communication with gangs. Syracuse Truce has been partially supported by two grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and with support from BJA and the Syracuse Police Department, the Institute has served as the Syracuse Truce research partner. We have monitored implementation and fidelity to the model, and are conducting process and outcome evaluations.
Supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance [October, 2012 – December, 2014, and October, 2015 – March, 2018], and the City of Syracuse [July, 2014 – June, 2018]
Publications, Reports and Presentations
Robert E. Worden and Sarah J. McLean, 2013. Syracuse Truce, Year One: An Assessment. Albany, NY: John Finn Institute for Public Safety.
Robert E. Worden and Sarah J. McLean, 2014. Syracuse Truce, Year Two: An Assessment. Albany, NY: John Finn Institute for Public Safety.
Robert E. Worden, Sarah J. McLean, and Kelly J. Becker, 2015. Syracuse Truce: Third Annual Assessment. Report to the Syracuse Police Department. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety, Inc.
Robert E. Worden, Andrew P. Wheeler and Sarah J. McLean, 2016. Social Networks of Syracuse Gun Offenders. A Report to the Onondaga County GIVE Executive Task Force. Albany, NY: John Finn Institute for Public Safety.
Sarah J. McLean, Robert E. Worden, Kelly J. Becker and Andrew P. Wheeler, 2016. Syracuse Truce: Fourth Annual Assessment. Report to the Syracuse Police Department. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety.
Robert E. Worden, Kelly J. Becker, and Sarah J. McLean, 2017. Syracuse Truce: Fifth Annual Assessment. Report to the Syracuse Police Department. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety, Inc.
Kelly J. Becker, Robert E. Worden, and Sarah J. McLean, 2017. An Inquiry into Non-Gang Related Shootings. Report to the Onondaga County GIVE Task Force. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety, Inc.
Robert E. Worden and Kelly J. Becker, 2018. Syracuse Truce: Summary of Impacts. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety, Inc.
Sarah J. McLean, Kelly J. Becker and Robert E. Worden, 2018. Syracuse Truce: Offender Awareness and the Impact on Perceptions and Choices. Albany, NY: John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety, Inc.