The CU Fresh Start focused-deterrence initiative has hired a team of local researchers to conduct a door to door survey in selected areas of Champaign and Urbana July 15 through August 12, 2017. The purpose of the survey is to better understand the experiences, perceptions, and views of residents living in neighborhoods that have recently experienced gun violence. Over the next month, researchers will visit households in the identified neighborhoods, and residents are encouraged to share their experiences so that the CU Fresh Start Initiative can work more effectively to rid our community of gun violence.
The CU Fresh Start initiative is aimed at reducing gun-related incidents in Champaign-Urbana by utilizing a focused-deterrence approach to address individuals who are known to be involved in gun-related incidents and shooting.
“Because cooperation with the police and public trust in law enforcement are critical ingredients in public safety, we need input from the residents living in these affected neighborhoods to learn how we can strengthen or rebuild that trust and put an end to senseless gun violence,” said Vivian Gray, Project Specialist for the CU Fresh Start initiative.
A team of researchers will be going door to door in the neighborhoods shown on the attached map during the next month. Most of the surveying will be conducted on weekends, when residents are more likely to be at home. All researchers will wear visible identification cards issued by the City of Champaign, and will be dressed in T-shirts with “Survey Research Team” across the front. Residents are encouraged to speak with the researchers and to candidly answer the survey questions. All information residents provide will be confidential, as researchers will not be collecting names, addresses, or any other information which can be used to identify individual respondents.
Residents with questions about the survey or the CU Fresh Start initiative are encouraged to call the City of Champaign’s Community Relations Office (Tracy Parsons or Vivian Gray) at (217) 403-8830.
CU Fresh Start is a priority initiative of the Champaign Community Coalition. To learn more about the Coalition and how to get involved, visit ChampaignCommunityCoalition.org.
CU Fresh Start Survey Areas
| City and Area | Communities and Neighborhoods | |||
| West | North | East | South | |
| Champaign 1 | Mattis Ave | Bloomington Rd. | Garden Hills Dr | Railroad Tracks |
| Champaign 2 | Mattis Ave | Railroad Tracks | Hedge Rd | Bradley Ave |
| Champaign 3 | Redwood Dr | Francis Dr | Hagan St | Maple St |
| Champaign 4 | Harris Ave | Briar Ln | Neil St | Eureka St |
| Champaign 5 | Elm St | Eureka St | Market St | Washington St |
| Champaign 6 | Neil St | Kenyon Ave | Railroad Tracks | Bradley Ave |
| Champaign 7/ Urbana 1 | Railroad Tracks | Bradley Ave | Lincoln Ave | Washington/Beslin St. |
| Champaign 8/ Urbana 2 | Railroad Tracks | Washington/Beslin St | Lincoln Ave | University Ave |
| Urbana 3 | Cottage Grove Ave | Colorado Ave | Philo Rd | Eliot Dr |
| Urbana 4 | Cottage Grove Ave | Washington St | Lanore | Florida Ave |
| Urbana 5 | Smith Rd | Washington St | Sunny Ln | Michigan Ave |
Media Contact: Vivian Gray | 217-403-8876 | [email protected]