Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Megan M. Trafford
University of New Haven
Gun violence constitutes one of the leading public health concerns within the United States. Firearms remain among the most commonly used weapons during the commission of crimes nationally, and the state of Connecticut is no exception. Recent annual reports of crime in Connecticut suggest that a considerable percentage of violent crimes including murder, aggravated assault, and robbery, as well as suicides, are committed with firearms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Adopting a public health approach to gun violence reduction can produce a multitude of benefits in the areas of crime and public safety, improved quality of life, and positive youth development. Improving the environment, engaging the community, reducing substance abuse, addressing mental health concerns, and improving gun policy are among some of the interventions that have been implemented across the United States to address gun violence. Although some interventions have been found to be more effective than others, improving the environment is shown to produce timely, scalable, cost-effective results.