VIOLENCE
PREVENTION

United States of America

USA SERVANT LEADER

 

BRUCE C. CARTER

Solutionist and Author

In 2017, Bruce made a personal commitment of seven years to solving America’s systemic issues, such as senseless violence, poverty, homelessness, and economic injustices. To address the problems, he has spent an average of 300 days in hotels each year over the even years. He toured the country under the Campaign For Education, Black Men For Bernie, Value of A Life Tour, iTHINK Solutions Tour, and Opportunity Tour to fulfill the commitment.  The Value of A Life Tour in 2019 confirmed his past research that only opportunity would prevent crime. He then developed iTHINK as a solution to avoid violence and deter crime.
 
THINK is an innovative solution to reduce, deter, and prevent crime by addressing the neighborhood, community, city,  or county? As public safety and quality of life initiative, iTHINK provides a series of short-term and long-term programs with a community support system against violence to reduce crime due to poverty and transform mindsets through opportunity and economic development in hard-to-reach areas. 
 

Most importantly, iTHINK starts from within the community. Residents are provided the tools to stand with law enforcement to tackle issues currently sweeping the city. Not exactly citizens-arrest, but residents can securely give the necessary information about crimes or other potentially violent behavior to select parties within the network, stamping out hazardous or illicit activities in the neighborhood. This web of support creates the understanding and action behind communities no longer tolerating criminal activities in the community.

“Where there is no opportunity, there will be no civility.” 
– Bruce C. Carter

COMMITTED TO EDUCATION

We will provide opportunities for young men most likely to commit a crime or be the victim of a crime.

The mission of iTHINK is to create an anti-crime support system and working method of strategies as an effective means to restore local environments by increasing public safety and quality of life, starting in Dallas, Texas, and expanding to other national cities as needed. Consisting of residents, law enforcement, and local businesses, the iTHINK initiative is created to be self-sustaining in any region. 

Through a proactive network of equipped individuals, iTHINK seeks to minimize adverse outcomes before they occur or before they can escalate and gather appropriate and accurate information about any occurrences.  

Benefits / Advantages  

  • Innovative Solution

  • Deterrent/Prevention Measures

  • Addresses public safety and economic development in hard-to-reach areas.

  • Provides a physiological thought that causes an individual with criminal intent to think twice

  • Feeder Program for new law enforcement 

  • iTHINK was developed for Dallas based on primary data relative to those who live in Dallas’s mindset and behavior? 

Target Demographic

  • Local Youth, Male, and Female (ages 16-20)

  • Neighborhood Leaders and Well-Known Residence (ages 18-65)

  • Local Law Enforcement 

  • Local Business Owners

1. Create/Identify an initial local support system of individuals and provide them with the necessary tools to maintain a safer neighborhood, with a successful rollout of the technology for Phase 1 and 2.

Objectives: 

a.) Establish all local iTHINK personnel within each district in the supported city/town, equip the group with associated technology and training for documenting and submitting incidences, personal development, etc. in 1 dedicated city (Dallas) within the first year of operation (expected to double by Year 3). 

b.) Establish a 24/7 hotline for the general public to access support for help and complete the development of iTHINK web application v1.0 within 2-3 months before the full-scale program launch.

2. Maintain a year-round community supporting businesses while partnering and building with the existing government. Non-government entities in the region expand growth and related capacities with the start of Phase 3 requirements. 

Objectives: 

a.) Maintain support of at least 140 businesses, or a minimum of 10 per district in any city, who are willing to engage iTHINK through direct donations, subscriptions as Loyal Community Supporter, assist in any unique campaigns, place Urban Watch Cameras at and around business, etc., within one year of program launch.

b.) Develop a self-sustaining group of individuals willing to join a local support team of iTHINK participants interested in learning and teaching skills including, but not limited to the following: 

c.) basics in information retrieval, evaluation, and packaging; financial literacy; critical thinking; CPR/first-aid certifications; environmental/fire safety; situation awareness, and more, within the first six months of program launch with the active participation of trainers and course completion by trainees by a minimum of 80% after the first year of program launch.

3. Experience a massive decrease in the rate of various criminal activities throughout the entire city within the first year of the initial launch, with an increase in positive relations between community residents and law enforcement. 

Objectives: 

a.) Minimize the top eight (8) most active crimes within the select City of Dallas by a minimum of 15% each, over the course of 2 years, with intentions to reduce other additional crimes by a minimum of 10-15% within the first two years of the program. 

b.) Complete a local survey of sentiment throughout the initiative to understand feelings and behavior to improve relations between residents and law enforcement. The survey will check the view of residents towards local authorities, and vice versa, to find ways to enhance ties, help authorities become more understanding and empathetic of issues and circumstances, etc. 

Initial surveys will take place:

  • Before the official public launch of iTHINK  

  • After six months

  • After 12 months

  • After 20 months 

  • After 30 months

(1) Data & Information Generators (DIG) captures data through pictures and video of criminal activities or potentially illegal activities.

(2) Community Information Analyst (CIA) receives, assesses, and transfers credible information to The District Connector. 

(3) The District Information Connector (DIC) packages the information and delivers it to the assigned police division. Follows up to ensure police took action. The connector must also follow up with law enforcement to ensure that each report is thoroughly investigated.​

Available Services

Financial Literacy Administrators will distribute small grants to those local residential participants who have shown interest and course completion of financial literacy training offered through their apartment and other housing authority.

Licensed Professional Counselors will be made available for residents who are or may not be direct iThink participants but have witnessed a crime or an act of violence and need support.

Facilitation

An iTHINK Project Manager and one iTHINK Assistant Project Manager will maintain operational procedures within a locality. iTHINK System Techs will report to the project managers and other associated team members. 

    Participation Requirements:

  • All participants must be residents of the select city and have been a resident for at least six months. 

  • All youth must have parental consent and a completed registration form;

  • All individuals (youth/adult) must keep the member identity code provided at sign-up;

  • All individuals are expected to complete one entire training course upon membership. After three incomplete programs, the member must wait three months before gaining access to select courses. 

  • Members may participate in as many programs as available and as needed. 

  • If all courses for membership completion are complete, interested participants will have to wait until the next cycle;

  • All participants must sign a confidentiality agreement not to reveal their identity and that of another participant they may know of;

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