"Mass shootings account for only 0.2% of firearm deaths in the US a year -- but their impact is large, deeply traumatizing survivors, their communities, and the country as a whole. How do we, as a nation, try to prevent these mass shootings? And what commonalities exist between not just these shootings, but the shooters themselves? To find out, … [Read more...]
Unpacking the Violence Project: Episode 136
Gun Violence Prevention: What a Study of Mass Shootings Tells Us About How to Prevent Them
The Violence Project's co-founders Jillian Peterson and James Densley spoke with the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy. Listen to their discussion on YouTube here. YouTube Description: Mass shootings are very rare, but they receive a lot of media attention and have enormous social costs. Guest host … [Read more...]
Gathering useful data on mass shootings in America
"The database that Peterson and Densley are freely sharing — and the training they offer — can help prevent gun violence and save lives. The initiative merits widespread support." Read the Star Tribune's full editorial on our research here. … [Read more...]
America can’t just arrest its way out of a mass shooting epidemic, experts say
The weeks after gunmen in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio have been filled with accusations of people who allegedly threatened deadly shooting sprees. Over 20 people have been arrested since August 4th, both teenagers to adults. The Violence Project's Jillian Peterson commented on how these arrests can be both good and bad: "I think it's the … [Read more...]
School safety: Fund more counselors for students’ emotional health
While there’s a renewed push to boost spending on school safety through more locks and tighter security to fortify schools, a new study of school shootings suggests that will not be enough to prevent future school shootings. An in-depth study of 45 school shootings since the Columbine High School shooting of 20 years ago shows all the shooters … [Read more...]