Roca, the violence intervention program that fixates on young men in Baltimore, is grounded on cognitive behavioral change. That’s why, explains Roca’s community partnership director JT Timpson, its model is to relentlessly pursue young men at risk and build relationships with them -- which takes years. Roca is in it for the long haul:

“Most of these young people, they suffer from distrust. So we really have to provide a way in which we can build a trusting relationship with them that then allows us to challenge them on the behaviors that we see them carrying out each and every day.”

Then Betsy Tolentino of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, tells why case workers throughout the state are being trained in Roca’s model … and how it's meeting success.

LInks: Roca, Roca Impact Institute

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