University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention researchers Dr. Katie Edwards and Dr. Marc Zimmerman have received a $1.2M, three-year research award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to advance community-driven approaches to violence and crime prevention for Indigenous youth. The project, “Development and Rigorous Evaluation of Culturally Grounded Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design for Lakota Youth on a Rural Reservation,” will support a collaboration between the University of Michigan and Lakota community partners.
This project seeks to develop and evaluate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies tailored for Lakota youth on a rural reservation. By integrating traditional knowledge, environmental design and youth-centered programming, the team seeks to promote safety, wellbeing and resilience in partnership with local stakeholders.
The award runs from September 30, 2025 to September 29, 2028 and is funded by the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Activities during the initial phase include community-engaged planning, refinement of CPTED strategies and evaluation design, with full implementation to follow.
Dr. Edwards and Dr. Zimmerman bring extensive expertise in youth violence prevention, community engagement and culturally responsive intervention development. Their collaborative approach reflects U-M’s commitment to research that advances access, honors sovereignty and builds on the strengths of Indigenous communities.