Evaluation of a Community-Based Gun Violence Reduction Program Using a Public Health Prevention Model

Background and Purpose

The problems associated with gun violence and gang involvement are many and complex.  This complexity often stems from the complicated interplay of the individual, family, and community domains. There is extensive research on risk factors at each of these levels for youth violence, gang participation, and victimization. The presence of risk factors can be mitigated, however, with interventions that aim to bolster protective factors (situational characteristics associated with decreased likelihood of youth violence or victimization).  This study reports on the use of a public health informed intervention model that addresses gun violence through street-based outreach, community mobilization and education.

Methods

Administrative quantitative data were first analyzed to set the stage for the development of a qualitative methodology to measure the effectiveness of a community violence reduction program. Participants were recruited from a Northeastern urban community facing significant gun and related violence. Community members (N=44) participated in either focus groups or intensive interviews using a semi-structured guide. Interviews and focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed, and then analyzed using Atlas-TI software. A template analysis approach was used, allowing for the use of thematic templates along with iterative coding and data categorization. 

Results

The study results indicated that most community residents perceived their neighborhood as highly unsafe, and saw gun violence as a significant crisis. Many also reported high levels of distrust for the local police department as well as the perception that the city was disinterested in the success of their neighborhood. Findings focused on the service delivery of the program, which used non-professional street-based violence interrupters and outreach workers to reach those most at risk of either committing crimes or being victimized as a result of gang and other criminal involvement. Primary themes related to the perceived importance of the program, collective efficacy within the community, administrative challenges operating a non-professional intervention model, beliefs about the impact of violence on the community itself, and reactions to the presence of police within the neighborhood.

Conclusion and Implications

Recent efforts to reduce gun violence have moved away from law enforcement only models toward public health models of intervention that emphasize community needs, resources, and education as key factors in changing the culture of violence and gang participation. This study offers a critical evaluation perspective on the program, with a marked impact upon the community it serves. The use of street-based employees from the community (many of whom were previously involved in criminal activity) is examined and implications for the delivery of non-law enforcement strategies in community outreach settings are discussed.  Community-based public health model interventions can offer an alternative to traditional efforts to reduce violence, and can also serve to effectively mobilize and empower communities at risk.