Violent crimes in the city of Dallas are on the rise and are expected to rise above last year’s record-breaking numbers. Dallas Cred is working in partnership with the Dallas PD to put an end to violent crime.
According to Mar Butler, Dallas Cred is a violence interrupters group that is an extension of the many resources that Youth Advocate Programs offer and have been offering in the city of Dallas. Mar Butler is the director of the Dallas Cred program.
Violence interrupters are made up of people who have once lived a life of crime and are now using their past experience to stop the prison cycle by leading young people to the right path.
“What we are is we are people who offer alternatives to violent behavior because not everyone responds to violence the same way,” Butler explained. “The model that we have been trained under is to go in and offer resources, help, care, concern, whatever is needed so that a person can think differently about having different options.”
Butler also stated that lack of education can lead to poverty, and when poverty becomes overwhelming it leads to crime. Butler said if the Dallas Cred can try to alleviate some of these disparities, then the crime rate will reduce.
“Our job is specifically to go in and be proactive before the fact, before the act is concerned. And so that’s what we’ve been here,” he continued.
Dallas Cred also works together with the Dallas police to provide members of the community with things like housing, food security, mental health care, and education.
“Not everyone responds to pain the same way,” Butler added. “So, some people actually need options but they don’t know exactly where to get them. Our job is to go into those neighborhoods and not only tell them how to get the help but we help them to find it and deliver it to them as well.”