The UNITY RoadMap is a framework for mapping out solutions to effectively and sustainability prevent violence. It was developed after the UNITY City Assessment—conducted with mayors, police chiefs, public heath directors, and school superintendents—revealed that although youth violence is a serious concern, cities generally characterize their responses as inadequate. The RoadMap builds on similar tools that have been effective for other challenging issues—similar in their complexity. In fact, many of the categories were drawn from the AIDS Program Efforts Index (API) (developed by The POLICY project, USAID, and UN AIDS to measure the efforts put into national HIV/AIDS programs throughout the world. Various components of the UNITY RoadMap have undergone a literature review and/or been informed by interviews with violence prevention practitioners and city representatives. The UNITY RoadMap has been reviewed by city representatives and refined accordingly.
The UNITY RoadMap highlights key components of an urban approach to effectively and sustainably preventing violence before it occurs. These elements are reflected in the UNITY Urban Agenda and in the work of members of the UNITY City Network. Organized by Partnerships, Prevention, and Strategy, there are nine RoadMap elements, each selected for its importance in affecting and sustaining efforts to prevent violence before it occurs.
