ASU professor discusses gun-violence prevention research at congressional briefing
Criminology, criminal justice educator presents data on effectiveness of community-based violence intervention strategies
Professor Ed Maguire of the ASU School of Criminology and Criminal Justice testifies at a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., about his team's research about strategies to curb gun violence. Photo by Max Taylor. Used by permission.
An Arizona State University criminology and criminal justice professor recently joined some of the nation’s leading scientific experts in briefing Congress about the latest research to whether community-based strategies are working to reduce gun violence.
Professor Ed Maguire’s Feb. 25 presentation in Washington, D.C., centered on the effectiveness of community-based violence intervention strategies, including a subset known as “street outreach conflict mediation strategies.”
Maguire testified that in many cases such strategies aren’t effective in reducing homicides but can help cut down on the number of nonfatal shootings.
Many community organizations use these “street” approaches to interact with residents in distressed areas, in addition to relying on traditional means of violence reduction, like law enforcement or corrections, he said. An example is a community group bringing in formerly incarcerated persons to engage residents to add “street credibility” to their efforts, Maguire said.
Maguire's research team included ASU School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Associate Director and Associate Professor Cody Telep, along with faculty and graduate students from ASU and other universities.
Read on to learn more about Maguire’s testimony and his team’s research into potential ways to curb gun violence in American communities.
Question: You testified that community violence often occurs through retaliatory actions, that is, someone is angered that someone else shot their friend and retaliates by fatally shooting that someone else. You said it’s possible to intervene early in these cycles and prevent such violent outcomes. How is that possible?
Answer: Gang violence often involves retaliation, where one violent act triggers another in an ongoing cycle of revenge. But we’ve learned that if we step in early, we can interrupt that cycle and prevent shootings and homicides. This means reaching out to those at greatest risk, whether they are potential offenders or victims. For example, someone with influence — like a family member, friend, or community leader — might convince a potential shooter not to strike back. Another option is to help the intended victim leave the area until the tensions settle down.
Q: You told the panel that your team reviewed several studies of community-based violence intervention strategies, with many showing these strategies aren’t working, and in some cases end up increasing community violence. Tell us more about your findings.
A: Unfortunately, the research on these violence-intervention strategies is inconsistent, leaving policy makers with an unclear road map on how to proceed. In some locations, including Phoenix, past initiatives have been associated with increases in violence. In others, they are associated with dramatic reductions in violence. Our project, which is still under way, aims to synthesize the research evidence and identify factors that lead to success in some places and unintended consequences in others.
Q: Meanwhile, you said in your preliminary findings, you found evidence of such strategies having some effectiveness in stopping nonfatal shootings. What evidence did you find?
A: Our preliminary evidence finds that overall, across 21 studies in 10 different cities, these interventions were associated with a significant reduction in nonfatal shootings. However, they were not associated with changes in homicides. These are preliminary findings based on the initial phase of the study.
Q: You said an upcoming challenge for your researchers in the next phase of your study will be to figure out why many strategies work, don’t work or make matters worse. What will you employ to learn more?
A: As we review each program, we will carefully examine how it was implemented to identify any patterns that influence whether these initiatives reduce violence in some locations but not others. This information will be especially helpful for policymakers and decision-makers who are designing and implementing violence-reduction initiatives in their jurisdictions.