It’s possible that in our country, where we have more guns than people, gun control is unlikely to make a difference. Gabby Giffords, survivor of an assassination attempt in January 2011, disagrees: “We may never be able to eliminate all gun violence. But we must realize that all gun violence is preventable.” Possible ideas like closing background check loopholes, banning assault weapons, requiring a license to own a gun have potential.
Firearm access alone, however, fails to address the complexity of violence. Evidence supports the need for deep investment in community prevention. The success of firearm-specific regulations in curbing gun violence will be limited without concurrent efforts to address underlying causes such as poverty, trauma and mental health.
The correlation between socioeconomic status and violent crime is well-documented. Community-based interventions that integrate social reform with targeted regulation play a critical role in preventing gun violence. Some examples of effective programs are: Nurse–Family Partnership, which pairs trained nurses with low-income first-time mothers; Child–Parent Psychotherapy, which offers trauma-informed support to caregivers and children exposed to violence; Boston’s Operation Ceasefire, a focused deterrence program; and Cure Violence, a public health model.
While these programs are helpful, they are limited given the enormity the population of poor and neglected young people living in under-resourced urban areas. It will take a strong commitment to change the structural roots of violence perpetuated by discriminatory laws, unequal distribution of resources and lack of access to education and health care.