Researchers from WestEd and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) collaborated on a widely downloaded Aggression and Violent Behavior journal article summarizing their review of evaluations of strategies to address urban youth gun violence. Researchers’ key findings include the following:

  • The use of street outreach workers to act as caseworkers is one of the more common strategies
  • The provision of positive supports to high-risk persons is another more common strategy
  • Positive impacts on measures of gun violence were found in 10 of the 11 studies reviewed

Read the research study abstract page. The article has received close to 500  downloads since its publication in mid 2015.

This review was one of many tasks completed by the researchers in their evaluation, led by AIR, of the Safe & Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) in Massachusetts. Read more about this study.

In addition, download this research report, What Works to Prevent Urban Violence Among Proven Risk Young Men?, summarizing best practices and strategies in violence prevention.