It seems that the United Way of Tarrant County's initiative to combat youth gun violence in Fort Worth is partially credited for a significant drop in violence. Following the One Second Collaborative Youth Gun Violence Project (OSC), spearheaded by the city and the organization, the area has witnessed an impressive decrease in teen shooting deaths and violent crime. According to a report by the City of Fort Worth, the OSC program aimed to reduce teen shooting deaths by 5% annually and decrease violent crime by 10% in 12 months, among other objectives.
Fort Worth has seen a 58% reduction in teen shooting deaths since the implementation of the OSC program, although it's mentioned that this result can't be definitively linked to the program's work. Nevertheless, during the period of the program's operation, the city also achieved a 13% reduction in violent crime. These numbers have helped place Fort Worth third among 50 cities for safety, as noted in a September 2025 SmartAsset study reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The OSC initiatives spanned across 63 ZIP codes with programs including prevention, intervention, and outreach efforts targeting youth and community violence.
The OSC program has delivered an array of services. These included 52 crime prevention programs with over 18,000 participants, of which 7,136 were youths aged 13-24. The effectiveness of these programs is reflected in participant outcomes, where 78% reported improved attitudes, and 83% demonstrated positive life changes, according to the City of Fort Worth’s published information. Furthermore, the report indicates that 70% of participants avoided behaviors that could lead to arrest, painting a relatively positive picture of the program's influence on individual behavior change.
Beyond the immediate reduction in crime, the ultimate goal for the OSC was to create sustainable community benefits. Steady State Impact Strategies, a third-party evaluator, was brought in to develop a sustainability plan for after the project period. Their strategic framework outlined "pathways from program activities to desired outcomes," with recommendations that included creating shared measures for grantees and strengthening grantee agency operations. This planning is critical to ensure that the progress made doesn't merely evaporate with the completion of the project, per the City of Fort Worth.
