The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado, Boulder, opened in 1992 in the face of high rates of crime, drug misuse and violence in the US. In 1996, with a number of influential partners, it began a national initiative that sought out effective violence prevention programs. That initiative was called Blueprints for Violence Prevention. The Center catalogues and grades the effectiveness of prevention programs and also supports communities and state authorities with their implementation. The Center is directed by Del Elliott.