NCJ Number
184415
Date Published
June 1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This paper presents some key findings from an effort to reduce firearm violence through research projects at Emory University's Center for Injury Control; the projects feature an explicit partnership between public health and local law enforcement.
Abstract
The research found that firearms in the home are associated with an increased risk of suicide or homicide among family members residing there; and guns kept in the home do not offer substantial protection against homicide at the hands of an intruder. Guns probably are used infrequently in self-defense because the criminals often rely on stealth, surprise, or sudden force to achieve their goal; thus, few victims have sufficient time to secure a weapon. Further, the number of individuals who are injured and require medical treatment for gunshot wounds is three to eight times the number who are killed by guns. Existing gunshot injury reporting systems do not link emergency department records with police reports to support criminal investigations. Moreover, health care providers often fail to report patients with gunshot wounds to the authorities, even in jurisdictions that have mandatory reporting. Local government officials in the five-county greater Atlanta area have recently joined with city and community leaders under Project PACT (Pulling America's Communities Together) to forge a comprehensive community-based approach to gun violence. The program will involve youth as well as culturally sensitive and appropriate media messages, school-based education, neighborhood groups, and support from grassroots organizations.