How can we engage on reducing gun violence?

Groundbreaking research by Benenson Strategy Group (BSG) and Lester and Associates lays out a series of proposed policy solutions for gun violence based on conversations with community stakeholders in Richmond, VA, Milwaukee, WI, and Stockton, CA.

The research and report grew out of a project launched last year by The Joint Center for Economic and Political Studies, The Urban Institute, and The Joyce Foundation. The study found that African Americans and Latinos believe that fixing the gun violence crisis in the United States is a pathway to addressing issues with the criminal justice system, including police-community relationships and mass incarceration.

Focusing efforts to curb firearm access by the small group of people at high risk of engaging in gun violence is a potent strategy for reducing gun violence while respecting the rights of lawful firearm owners.

Research has demonstrated that a small set of key groups—such as people who have a history of domestic abuse, misdemeanor convictions for crimes of violence, or felonies—are at heightened risk of committing violence if they obtain firearms.

Policies can reduce access to firearms by:
  • Reducing the diversion of firearms from legal to illegal users.
  • Preventing people at high risk of engaging in violence from purchasing firearms.

Read the full text at about reducing gun violence at IssueLab.