Gun Violence Case Study

The behaviors of most people are often influenced by media (television, radio and newspapers), social marketing (advertisements) and community organizing (community events). Gun violence permeates the news, popular television shows, movies, advertisements as well as the toy industry. Through these media channels children are influenced to use guns and are taught to believe that it is natural to have a gun in the home. In an effort to decrease gun violence it is the intention of the writer to implement a community health intervention program combining the media advocacy, social marketing and community organization. The proposed community health intervention will center on the youth in the community and be an amalgam of social marketing, community organization and media advocacy strategies. The first step to implementing such a program would be to make the adult members of the community
aware of the issue that is affecting the youth of their community. Using the media approach the writer would have the local newspaper print the number of crimes (both intentional and unintentional) that are committed with guns in their immediate community, their city and state and finally nationwide. Utilizing social marketing skills, the next step would be to post flyers around the community with the crime statistics (as mentioned above) and request that all concerned community members (youth and adults) attend the program in an effort to design a community intervention. Although it may seem redundant to use the newspaper and flyers both methods reinforce the seriousness of the issue.
It is important to enlist the help of community members in designing an intervention program. It is the writer's belief that interventions are more successful if community members are involved, rather than having outsiders implement a community based program. This process is called community building, rather than community organization. It fosters empowerment within the community and instills a sense of self-efficacy The program, Operation Safe Streets, will target youth in the community ages 10-18 who have been affected by gun violence and is aimed at decreasing their exposure as well as increasing their awareness of risk factors. Participants will be referred by family members, judicial system (first time offenders) as well as school personnel. The program will be a six weeks in duration where youth in the community visit local hospitals and detention centers. They will get the chance to talk to youth who are victims of gun violence as well as interview youth who have used guns to commit crimes. During the six week program the youth will discuss the patient's and inmates' life stories, and parallel it with their own experiences and lives. They will also examine the consequences of their actions and how they might make better choices for themselves and their communities. During this six week course participants will also attend conflict resolution classes and learn anger management skills. The goal of these interventions is to learn their triggers and how to make better choices when faced with conflict.
Using the media advocacy approach the writer will enlist the help of local television stations to air public service announcements. Such announcements will highlight five minute segments on youth who have been affected by gun violence (those currently serving time as well as victims of crime). Using community members who have been affected by gun violence sends the message that no one is invincible. At the end of the six week course the participants should be able to communicate with one another about the consequences of using guns in their community and alternatives to violence.
Using a community organization approach those individuals who have completed the program will host a monthly seminar targeted towards youth in the community. Flyers advertising this event will be posted around the neighborhood and in schools (social marketing). Those who have completed the six week program will also be featured in the public service announcements and talk about their experience meeting with victims of violence and perpetrators. Also at the end of the course youth will enter into a mentor program where they work closely with younger children in their neighborhood. They will be encouraged to spend time with their mentees and talk about the effects of gun violence and effective, alternative ways to deal with violence in the neighborhood. Hopefully this program will reduce the use of guns in the community as well as foster communication between adults and youth in the
community.