City Gun Violence
City Gun Violence
What does it solve?
Gun violence is prevalent in many U.S. cities, particularly in historically underfunded neighborhoods. It spreads through social networks and intensifies long-standing inequities and public health disparities.
In 2015, half of all gun homicides in the U.S. took place in just 127 cities. Together, these cities contain less than a quarter of the country’s population. Nonfatal shootings are also prevalent in cities, and these injuries can have devastating consequences for the rest of a survivor’s life.
There are a wide variety of evidence-informed solutions to reducing gun violence and increasing safety in these communities. This includes violence intervention programs, Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, and crime prevention through environmental design. City governments should partner with local advocates, residents, survivors, and researchers to ensure that applied strategies are appropriate for and responsive to local contexts.
What are the solutions?
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Violence Intervention Programs
Violence intervention programs provide evidence and community-informed, comprehensive support to individuals who are at greatest risk of gunshot victimization. These programs are shown to reduce gunshot wounds and deaths in the neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence.
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Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funding
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) victim assistance funds are federal funds that can be used to support services for victims and survivors of gun violence. Many of the services eligible for VOCA victim assistance funds are already being provided by gun violence intervention programs, such as street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs. VOCA victim assistance grants should be used to help reduce gun violence and support gun violence survivors.
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Prevent Gun Trafficking
The United States lacks strong federal gun trafficking laws to crack down on illegal gun trafficking networks. Gun trafficking and straw purchasing laws could help keep guns off our streets.
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Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data
Since 2003, the Tiahrt Amendments have restricted law enforcement's ability to investigate and prosecute gun crimes. This data-blocking protects corrupt gun dealers and hinders law enforcement.
Featured Resources
Summer Youth Employment Programs for Violence Prevention: A Guide to Implementation and Costing
Investing in an SYEP is a cost-effective way to help prevent violence in cities.
Gun Suicide in Cities: The Lesser-Known Side of City Gun Violence
Rates of people who die by gun suicide in cities are on the rise, but, until now, a dearth of city-level data leaves it often overlooked.
Community-Led Public Safety Strategies
Communities affected by gun violence need immediate and locally driven interventions in addition to larger scale policy reform.
City Gun Violence Reduction Insight Portal
CityGRIP is an online clearinghouse of data-informed gun violence reduction strategies.
All Resources
City Gun Violence
All Resources
The Changing Demographics of Gun Homicide Victims and How Community Violence Intervention Programs Can Help
As we approach summer, it is crucial that community violence intervention programs are accessible and tailored to those most affected.
Everytown Research & PolicyBeyond Measure: Gun Violence Trauma
This study focuses on trauma from gun violence by listening to the voices and experiences of those directly impacted.
Report
Suicidio con armas de fuego en las ciudades: El lado menos conocido de la violencia con armas de fuego en las ciudades
Las tasas de personas que mueren por suicidio con armas de fuego en las ciudades están en aumento.
Report
Who is Manufacturing Crime Guns? City-Level Data on Crime Gun Recoveries by Manufacturer
This analysis sought to answer the question of which gun manufacturers’ weapons are showing up at America’s crime scenes.
Report
City Dashboard: Gun Homicide
Key Findings Per the CDC, the nationwide firearm homicide rate was 8.3 percent higher in 2021 than it was the year prior.1…
Data TrackerGun Thefts from Cars: The Largest Source of Stolen Guns
Gun thefts from cars are the largest source of stolen guns—one that continues rising in parallel with rates of gun sales and violence.
Everytown Research & Policy
Robos de armas en vehículos: la fuente más grande de armas robadas
Una investigación de Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund revela que los robos de armas en vehículos son la mayor fuente de armas robadas.
Everytown Research & Policy
The Economic Cost of Gun Violence
In an average year, gun violence in America kills 40,000 people, wounds nearly twice as many, and costs our nation $557 billion.
Report
The Impact of Gun Violence on Latinx Communities
Latinx people in the United States are dying from gun violence every day and at rates disproportionate to their white peers.
Fact SheetEl impacto de la violencia con armas de fuego en las comunidades latines
Las personas latines en los EE UU mueren a causa de la violencia armada en tasas desproporcionadas con respecto a los blancos.
Fact SheetCalculate the Economic Cost of Gun Violence
Examining the economic consequences of gun violence is paramount to understanding just how extensive and expensive this crisis is.
Data ToolFunding Summer Youth Programming Prevents Gun Violence
As cities develop their spending plan for American Rescue Plan funds, they should prioritize and plan funding for summer youth engagement.
Fact SheetAlternative Dispatch Programs
Creating alternative dispatch options that connect people in crisis with mental health services is key in preventing police gun violence.
Fact Sheet
Invisible Wounds: Gun Violence and Community Trauma among Black Americans
Persistent gun violence is harming too many Black communities in the U.S., contributing to individual, family, and community-level trauma.
Report
Hurdles to Healing: Fixing Victim Compensation Funds
Victim compensation funds are available to survivors of gun violence, but obstacles and restrictions make the funds difficult to access
Fact Sheet
American Rescue Plan for Gun Violence Reduction
States and local governments governments can utilize American Rescue Plan funds to prevent or address gun violence in cities.
Fact SheetCommunity-Led Services for Survivors
Community-led services can assist survivors by responding to incidents of gun violence in their community and providing ongoing care.
Fact Sheet
A Deadly Year in Cities — And How Policymakers Can Respond
While the long term effects of COVID-19 still aren’t fully clear, it is evident that cities have experienced historic levels of violence.
Fact Sheet
A More Complete Picture: The Contours of Gun Injury in the United States
Nonfatal gunshot wounds account for an enormous portion of the gun violence epidemic in America.
Report
How COVID-19 Has Increased the Need for Street Outreach Work
Street outreach teams have long been at the front lines of gun violence prevention work and are now battling two pandemics at once.
Fact Sheet
Gun Violence and the Police
Every year, police in America shoot and kill more than 1,000 people.
Fact Sheet
Gun Violence in America
We have gathered the most comprehensive, publicly available data to illustrate the magnitude of everyday gun violence.
Report
A Fund for Healing: VOCA Grants for Violence Reduction
The Needs Of Gun Violence Victims In America America’s gun homicide rate is tragic and unique—it is 26 times higher than…
ReportCrime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design involves work to change the built environment to reduce crime and increase community safety.
Report
Stolen Guns Pose a Tremendous Risk to Public Safety
Thousands of guns are stolen every year and often wind up at crime scenes. Stolen guns pose a tremendous risk to public safety.
Fact Sheet
Five Ways to Enhance the Gun Violence Prevention Strategy in Your City
Cities that have sustained success preventing gun violence have deployed multi-disciplinary, community-involved approaches to response and prevention. Below are five steps that you can take…
Fact SheetState Firearm Preemption Laws
State firearm preemption laws are a relatively recent phenomenon inconsistent with centuries of American history in which cities and rural areas had different gun laws.
Fact Sheet