Poster #219 - Theoretical Insights and Policy Implications for Gun Violence Prevention Among Urban Youth in Milwaukee

• In Event: ASC Poster Session II

Abstract

Gun violence among urban youth remains a critical public health and social justice issue in the United States. General Strain Theory (GST) provides a significant insight for understanding the structural and emotional stressors that contribute to youth involvement in gun violence. According to GST, economic hardship, exposure to violence, discrimination, and limited access to legitimate opportunities create strains that generate frustration, anger, and, in some cases, criminal coping mechanisms, particularly in disadvantaged communities in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America.

This paper adopts GST to explore how community-based gun violence prevention programs address these underlying social and emotional stressors by providing mentorship, conflict resolution strategies, and alternative pathways for success. It emphasizes the limitations of punitive, law enforcement-centered responses, arguing for a shift toward preventative, community-driven approaches that mitigate strain before it escalates into violence. Policy discussions will stress the importance of educational access, employment opportunities, and mental health support in reducing the structural barriers that fuel youth gun violence.
By bridging criminological theory with policy discourse, this piece contributes to a deeper understanding of how addressing strain through social investments and community-based interventions can serve as a sustainable solution to urban gun violence.

Author

• Ebenezer Adegoke Omotosho, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee