PRISM – Preventing drug market-related violence and other harms through Innovative Strategies at the Municipal level
Drug market-related violence and harms (DMRVH) is evolving in scale and complexity, presenting an increasing number of challenges to local authorities. These include violence in public spaces and neighbourhoods; social vulnerability including youth marginalisation and exploitation; public health issues linked to drug consumption, and declining trust between communities and public authorities. However, responses often remain fragmented, with limited integrated understanding of DMRVH at the local level. Municipalities also lack operational tools tailored to their specific realities, sufficient capacity-building opportunities for frontline actors, and tested, transferable prevention approaches. The PRISM project aims to address these gaps by supporting the development of innovative, integrated, and locally adapted strategies to prevent drug market-related violence.
- Integrate a whole-of-society response to a multidimensional local challenge
- Reduce drug market-related violence and harm by helping cities develop more effective, locally adapted prevention strategies.
- Improve understanding of local challenges by exploring how drug market-related violence affects different urban contexts, and communities.
- Equip local authorities and frontline professionals with practical tools, knowledge, and skills to better prevent and address these issues.
- Share knowledge and solutions across Europe to encourage the uptake and long-term impact of effective prevention approaches.
- Put cities at the heart of innovation by involving local authorities in developing solutions that respond to the needs of their communities.
- Integrate a whole-of-society response to a multidimensional local challenge.
- Support pilot projects led by nonprofit organisations or small and medium-sized cities.
- Co-produce a better understanding of local challenges through research, fieldwork in four cities (Barcelona, Brussels, Lisbon and Montpellier), and collection of promising local practices
- Test innovative solutions on the ground through pilot activities
- Develop practical tools for cities to help local authorities better analyse and respond to drug market-related violence and harm (LENS tool)
- Strengthen local skills and knowledge by providing training for local police forces, municipal staff, elected officials, and frontline professionals
- Support local initiatives by funding 10 to 15 projects led by municipalities and NGOs through the Local Impact Fund
- Raise awareness and share results across Europe to promote effective prevention approaches and contribute to European policy discussions
The project is led by Efus. The partners are: University of York (UK), Inserm (France), UTRIP (Slovenia), Lisbon Municipal Police (Portugal), Brussels Police (Belgium), City of Brussels (Belgium), City of Barcelona (Spain), City of Montpellier (France), Plus Ethics (Spain), Deep Blue (Italy), ITTI (Poland).
Associated Partners:
Agencia de Salut Pública de Barcelona (Spain), City of Bologna (Italy), City of Düsseldorf (Germany), City of Dudelange (Luxembourg), City of Fort-de-France (France), City of Genk (Belgium), City of Guayaquil (Ecuador), City of Rotterdam (The Netherlands).
- Overall project coordination and management, including risk management and coordination of the project’s advisory bodies.
- Coordinating the pilot activities in the four cities, from preparation to follow-up.
- Managing the Local Impact Fund (LIF), including the call for proposals, selection of projects, awarding of grants, and support for funded organisations.
- Contributing to training activities to help local authorities and frontline professionals better address drug market-related violence and harm (DMRVH).
- Identifying and analysing promising practices to prevent or reduce DMRVH, based on fieldwork and the experiences of municipalities and frontline actors.
October 2026 – March 2030
Katie Hamilton – Programme Manager – hamilton@efus.eu
Anne Boisseau – Programme Manager – boisseau@efus.eu
Lifan Lin – Administrative and Financial Support Officer – EU Projects – lin@efus.eu