How Can a Public Health Framework Be Applied to Preventing Violent Extremism?

The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) evaluated the Muslim Public Affairs Council’s (MPAC) Safe Spaces program and found that the program as implemented was not successful, but some aspects showed potential. The full NIJ report is available and scholarly reports forthcoming. This research brief, written in collaboration with START, shares key lessons learned to help guide other programs and policies. The Safe Spaces Program aimed to strengthen community resilience and promote a healthy environment by empowering communities with practical and effective tools. The key components of the model included: adopting a public health framework; incorporating both prevention and intervention components; having an outside trainer deliver the program training to community sites, and; focusing on Muslim communities to implement the program in mosques.