1/ Trump has no clue about *causes* of gun violence in our cities or how to *build safe & just communities*
0.5% of a city’s population is responsible for 60-70% of shootings
This THREAD explains how we can reduce deaths by INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES & IMPLEMENTING POLICY CHANGE
0.5% of a city’s population is responsible for 60-70% of shootings
This THREAD explains how we can reduce deaths by INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES & IMPLEMENTING POLICY CHANGE
2/ We *must* invest in communities & community-based violence intervention programs that have proven to reduce gun violence without contributing to over incarceration and over-policing. (HT to @GiffordsCourage for this excellent report: lawcenter.giffords.org/wp-content/upl…)
3/ Gun violence intervention programs assemble community members, faith leaders, social service providers, researchers, and law enforcement officials to form a partnership. This partnership identifies individuals most at risk for committing or becoming victims of gun violence.
4/ The partnership conducts meetings w/ small groups of impacted individuals to communicate a message from the community that the shooting must stop. If plea is ignored, swift & sure legal action is taken against any group responsible for a new act of violence
5/ Since a person whose basic needs are not met is more likely to engage in violent behavior, during these meetings, at-risk individuals are connected w/ social service providers.
6/ These individuals offer: GED tutoring, transportation assistance, mental health treatment, housing support, & even tattoo removal (to facilitate a break from group or gang identity).
7/ These programs also employ community violence interrupters who can mediate conflicts & defuse dangerous situations with at-risk individuals before they become violent.
8/ The gun violence intervention model has a remarkably strong track record: a documented association with homicide reductions of between 30% and 60%.
9/ A recent study of Cure Violence in Chicago found that its implementation in targeted districts was associated with a 38% greater decrease in homicides and a 15% greater decrease in shootings.
10/ The Indianapolis Violence Reduction Partnership was associated with a 34% decrease in homicides each month.
11/ In Stockton, CA the intervention was associated with a 42% reduction in monthly gun homicides compared to cities that did not have a gun violence intervention program.
12/ In Lowell, MA, the city found “a statistically significant 44% reduction in the monthly count of gun assault incidents” after running a gun violence intervention program.
13/ In Cincinnati, a 35% reduction in monthly group-related homicides and a 21% reduction in monthly total shootings.
14/ A meta study from 2012 reviewed an array of gun violence prevention strategies and concluded that “comprehensive community based law enforcement initiatives have performed the best at reducing gun violence.”
15/ Since 6 in 10 crime guns seized by Chicago Police originated from gun shops outside of Illinois, we need federal policy change to stem the tide of gun trafficking and make firearms harder to get.
16/ These reforms include: 1) federal firearm licensing requirements 2) better regulating firearms dealers, 3) limiting bulk purchases, 4) requiring gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms...
17/ policy solutions contd...5) designate gun trafficking a federal crime and allow national law enforcement agencies to play a greater role in investigating these crimes, 6) ban assault weapons & high capacity magazines
