Brandon T. Jones
Brandon T. Jones is an outreach worker for Philadelphia CeaseFire, a public health violence intervention program that originated in Chicago, Illinois. A native of Philadelphia, Jones was part of the youth violence problem in the city until he turned his life around and became part of the solution. As an outreach worker, Jones works to reduce the number of homicides and shootings in the 22nd police district in Philadelphia by recruiting and working one-on-one with clients between the ages of 14 and 25 who are actively involved in high risk street activity. Jones works round the clock to motivate his clients to adopt more positive lifestyles. He also assists them with obtaining employment, GED or job training.
Prior to joining Philadelphia CeaseFire, Jones had been working with local ex-offenders committed to educating at-risk youth about making good decisions. In February 2011, he helped construct a make-shift prison cell in a vacant lot in North Philadelphia to offer young people a firsthand look at incarceration. This initiative, called the “28-Day Prison & Death Fast” reached over 3,000 families. He also worked on the "ban the box" legislation with City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller which gives ex-offenders a fair chance of employment by not requiring disclosure of a prior arrest on an employment application.
Jones is a graduate of North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA and the father of two. He has dedicated his life to Christ and intends to further his education at Temple while continuing to help young people stay on the right path.
Recent Posts by Brandon T. Jones
Violence Prevention: Policy and Practice
In this video from the 2011 Dart Center workshop "Getting it Right: Reporting on Youth Violence," advocates working on the ground in Philadelphia talk about what works.
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