In the final episode of a three-part sponsored series with the Public Welfare Foundation, City Cast DC CEO David Plotz talks with two leaders working to make D.C. a safer, more just place.  Kristy Love, Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and Victor Battle, President and Founder of Right Direction and longtime violence interrupter.

Together, they explore what real safety looks like on the ground: how data and coordination are helping D.C. reduce crime, why jobs and mentorship matter as much as policing, and how partnerships between community groups and government agencies are creating lasting change. They also share what gives them hope,  from young people finding new opportunities to neighbors reclaiming their blocks.

Learn more at realsafetydc.org

Data shows Washington, D.C., is a city that has made significant public safety gains in the past two years, particularly in reducing violent crime. 2024 marked DC’s lowest violent crime rate in over 30 years, and this year it has fallen by 26% from last year.