MGH Guides: Gun Violence: Home

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Gun Violence Data

National Violent Death Reporting System
Links information about "who, when, where, and how" from data on violent deaths and provides insights about "why" they occurred. This compiles data into one database for this use.
Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury
Data from the U.S. about suicide and self-inflicted injury, which includes firearm-inflicted.
Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review
Published in 2005, an assessment of the strengths and limitations of the existing research and data on gun violence and identifying gaps in knowledge.
Gun Rhetoric vs. Gun Fact
This website looks at some of the rhetoric on gun control and violence, and how it squares with the facts, while offering some broader context to inform the debate.
Safe States Alliance
Has information about injury and violence prevention, but also contains specific information about gun violence and control throughout the website.

Gun Violence Evidence

Gun Violence: Prediction, Prevention, and Policy
The American Psychological Association's summary on prediction, prevention, and policies regarding gun violence.
American Public Health Association-- Gun Violence
This website provides a good overview of gun violence and there is section of links to gun violence articles that have been published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Gun Violence in 2022, By the Numbers
Data on gun violence in 2022 by The Trace.

Journal Evidence

Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and attitudes toward guns.
Wamser-Nanney, R., Nanney, J. T., & Constans, J. I. (2021). Trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and attitudes toward guns. Psychology of Violence, 11(4), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000356
Gun Violence and Firearm Injuries in West Michigan: Targeting Prevention.
Mattson, C. M., Kaylor, R., Koehler, T. J., Ydenberg, M., Grill, J., & Stork, B. R. (2021). Gun Violence and Firearm Injuries in West Michigan: Targeting Prevention. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, 22(3), 488–497. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2021.3.49255
Firearm legislation, gun violence, and mortality in children and young adults: A retrospective cohort study of 27,566 children in the USA
Tseng,J., Nuño, M., Lewis, A. V., Srour, M., Margulies, D. R., & Alban, R. F. (2018). Firearm legislation, gun violence, and mortality in children and young adults: A retrospective cohort study of 27,566 children in the USA. International Journal of Surgery, 57, 30-34.
Unintentional Gun Violence in the Home: A Survey of Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurses’ Preventive Measures
Cho, A.N., & Dowdell, E.B.. (2020) “Unintentional Gun Violence in the Home: A Survey of Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurses’ Preventive Measures.” Journal of Pediatric Health Care 34 (1): 23–29. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2019.06.010.
Gun Violence Exposure and Posttraumatic Symptoms Among Children and Youth.
Turner, H. A., Mitchell, K. J., Jones, L. M., Hamby, S., Wade, R., Beseler, C. L., & Wade, R., Jr. (2019). Gun Violence Exposure and Posttraumatic Symptoms Among Children and Youth. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 32(6), 881–889. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/jts.22466

Gun Violence and Youth

Warning Signs of Youth Violence
Separated into sections such as: reasons for violence, dealing with anger, and violence against self.
Safe Kids Worldwide: Guns
Facts, tips, and downloadable resources about gun safety and children.

(https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/2/16399418/us-gun-violence-statistics-maps-charts)

Community Engagement

Engaging Communities in Reducing Gun Violence: A Road Map for Safer Communities
The Urban Institute, Joyce Foundation, and Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies convened more than 100 people from communities affected by violence. We learned that violence prevention demands a holistic set of solutions. Limiting access to firearms is part of the solution, but a comprehensive strategy will also require improving police-community relations, investing in community services, and facilitating community leadership in violence prevention efforts.
Intervention Strategies
Through community intervention strategies and efforts to stop the violence at its root source, certain cities have been remarkably effective at cutting rates of gun violence and saving lives. This website explains the interventions and the outcomes in various cities.
Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI)
The Bureau of Justice Assistance provides an overview of the Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) and a Community Violence Intervention implementation checklist.

Gun Safety

THE 12 GOLDEN RULES FOR SAFE GUN HANDLING

Always treat the gun as loaded.
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
Always use proper Ammunition.
Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
Don't rely on the gun's safety to keep it from firing.
Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don't trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.

(from https://www.washingtongunlaw.com/12-golden-rules)

Books at Bellack Library

Reducing Gun Violence in America by Daniel W. Webster (Editor); Jon S. Vernick (Editor); Michael Bloomberg (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9781421411101
Publication Date: 2013-01-28
The staggering toll of gun violence--which claims 31,000 U.S. lives each year--is an urgent public health issue that demands an effective evidence-based policy response. The Johns Hopkins University convened more than 20 of the world's leading experts on gun violence and policy to summarize relevant research and recommend policies that are both constitutional and have broad public support. Collected for the first time in one volume, this reliable, empirical research and legal analysis will help lawmakers, opinion leaders, and concerned citizens identify policy changes to address mass shootings, along with the less-publicized gun violence that takes an average of 80 lives every day.