Exposure to Gun Violence Among the Population of Chicago Community Violence Interventionists

• In Event: The Violence Intervention Workers Study: An In-Depth View of Street Outreach Professionals in Chicago and Beyond

Abstract

Despite calls for investment in community-based violence intervention, little information exists about the interventionist workforce or its work conditions, particularly exposure to violence. In 2021, we used a researcher-guided web-based survey to obtain a near-census of Chicago community-based violence interventionists (N=181, 93% response rate, representing 87% of the interventionist population). Workers were mostly male (84%) and Black (80.9%), with a mean age of 43.6 years (range, 23-71). Exposure to violence on the job was common. 59.4% of workers witnessed someone being shot at, and 32.4% witnessed someone being shot and hit. Direct victimization of interventionists was less common but still substantial. 19.6% reported being shot at—but not hit—on the job, while 2.2% were non-fatally shot at work. Our results suggest public health practice should consider methods for improving worker safety and reducing violence exposure, while developing systemic support for vulnerable practitioners on the front lines of community violence.

Authors

• David M. Hureau, University at Albany, SUNY

• Theodore Wilson, University at Albany, SUNY

• Hilary Jackl, SUNY at Albany

• Jalon Arthur, Chicago CRED

• Christopher Patterson, Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, Illinois Department of Human Services

• Andrew Papachristos, Northwestern University