END VIOLENCE

GUN VIOLENCE

Fear of gun violence reduces the quality of life in our society. Political opposition to gun control has created government barriers instead of government support. Guns are the leading cause of preventable deaths. Children and teens experience high rates of gun injuries and death. A low sense of safety, access to unsupervised guns, and risky behavior such as drug dealing contribute to involvement of gun violence. Without nonviolent conflict resolution skills, individuals rely on guns to solve their problems.

Prevention methods include reduction of youth access to guns, raising emotionally healthy children and intervention to a person who are threatening violence. Prevention must be implemented in our society to reduce violence. Prevention is going to need the entire community involved.

With the ability to make homemade guns and purchase parts online, ghost guns are a new factor to tackling gun violence. These build your own unlicensed weapons are untraceable. Anyone can purchase a kit and no background check is required. Technology has created a way to print guns with a 3D printer. We need preventative measures to keep up with technology and respond accordingly to prevent unnecessary death.

We need to create a new model for tackling gun violence. We need to bring community together and build alliances to create problem solving skills and prevent individuals from engaging in gun violence. No single program is enough. Schools, workplace, neighborhoods, health systems and faith based groups need to be active in prevention. We must recognize if there is someone who is threatening harm to themselves or others. We must make it safe for someone to relay this information so innocent people are not harmed and a crisis intervention can occur.

With a problem solving approach and community engagement we can identify, plan, and collaborate deescalate and use crisis intervention. Encourage law enforcement and mental health facilities to create a partnership to assist with a mental health crisis that may provoke violence.

Everyone wants a safe city to live and thrive. We must work together to create a safe city. We must invest in our youth, so they have problem solving skills and conflict resolution. We must recognize and mobilize when we identify an individual who may do harm to themselves or others. We cannot live in fear and it is time to focus on a solution to gun violence.