San Francisco, California - San Francisco is taking a pretty unorthodox approach to keeping its residents safe: paying people at risk of committing gun violence to not shoot anyone.

A small measure that could have a big effect – that's how the Dream Keeper Fellowship sees its program.

The initiative will see 10 residents of San Francisco receive $300 every month, with only one string attached: don't get involved in gun violence.

"It's not as transactional as, 'Here's a few dollars so that you don't do something bad'," program head Sheryl Davis told Newsweek. "It really is about how you help us improve public safety in the neighborhood."

For example, up to $200 each month is also available if the previous "problem citizens" work to become mediators that settle problems in the community peacefully. They also can be rewarded for attending school or simply engaging as "community ambassadors" and speaking about how problems can be solved without violence.

"These small investments can transform the lives of individuals, but they can also transform communities," Davis said.

Davis hopes that not only will San Francisco's streets be safer as a result of this program, but it will also "engage participants, make them more civic-minded, and allow them to be a part of the solution."

In nearby Richmond, a similar program has already been in place since 2019. And it has been working.

According to the report, the number of homicides from gun violence has been reduced by 55% since its inception.

Incidents of gun violence have increased across the country since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

San Francisco saw significantly more cases in the first half of 2021 (119 victims) than in January to July 2020 (58), and homicides by shooting even increased from 22 to 26 in the same period.

The Dream Keeper Fellowship is trying to buck this negative trend by thinking outside the box.