What we felt like was the missing piece of the puzzle was, ‘How do we address what’s leading to violence in the first place?’ And so once we have all of this information, we’re able to recognize how systems have negatively impacted individuals and communities, the historic inequities that we’ve seen over time. When we’re able to identify those underlying factors, that’s when we can really get to this true systemic change.
— Lori Toscano
Director of Justice Technical Assistance at WestEd
Gun violence impacts families, first responders, and communities in profound and lasting ways. In 2023, more than 18,000 persons died by homicide in the United States. And on June 26, 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General declared gun violence a public health crisis.
In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Danny Torres talks with experts from WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Team and developers of the Violence Prevention Navigation Framework (VPNF): Lori Toscano, Shaun Ali, and Kerwin Henderson. Together, they help state and local leaders better understand the factors that contribute to or prevent violence within their communities—helping promote safe and equitable futures for all children, youth, and adults.
Their conversation covers the following topics:
- Identifying the underlying factors that give rise to or mitigate gun violence
- Leveraging big and local data to prioritize, assess, and develop appropriate strategies to reduce and prevent gun violence
- Working with community and state leaders to improve violence prevention efforts across systems
- Promoting equity and fostering growth
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
- Justice and Prevention Research Center at WestEd (Website)
- Violence Prevention Navigation Framework (VPNF) (Website)
- A Comprehensive, Data-Driven Approach to Reducing Gun Violence (Blog)
- Q&A With the JPRC Violence Prevention Team: Lori Toscano, Shaun Ali, and Kerwin Henderson (Blog)
- The Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention (Website)
- Gun Violence Disproportionately and Overwhelmingly Hurts Communities of Color (Fact Sheet)
- U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on the Public Health Crisis of Firearm Violence in the United States (Press Release)
- Homicides Are Plummeting in American Cities (News Article)
Featured Guests
Lori Toscano
Shaun Ali
Kerwin Henderson
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