Examination of Comprehensive Violence Prevention Initiatives: A Literature review and Environmental Scan

• In Event: Crime Prevention Strategies: Findings from the WestEd Justice & Prevention Research Center

Abstract

The first paper summarizes from an environmental and literature scan on urban gun violence prevention strategies. The project was funded to document the current state of evidence surrounding the use comprehensive community intervention and prevention initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence; identify what we know and what we need to know about effective implementation; and if the intervention is effective, what is necessary to sustain efforts long term. The project includes a sequence of complementary activities that includes 1) a rapid evidence assessment of the known literature on public health-based violence prevention initiatives; 2) interviews with researcher and program providers; and 3) site visits to at least one program to document components critical to effective implementation. The results of this work will shed light on the current state of evidence in community-based violence prevention and the challenges professionals face in collecting on implementation and evaluating the outcomes of these complex initiatives.

Authors

• Trevor A Fronius, WestEd

• Sarah Guckenburg, WestEd

• Patricia Campie, American Institutes for Research

• Anthony Petrosino, WestEd