violence prevention

the problem

Violence is a public health problem that happens as a result of many complex environmental factors like poverty, racial discrimination, and easy access to alcohol, drugs and weapons. Like many other public health issues, it is also preventable. But policies that invest in prevention are in short supply, and messages that reflect the need for those policies don’t often reach the public. Instead, much of what we know about violence — beyond what we experience personally — comes to us through the filter of what news reporters, editors, and publishers think is important. This means that the most shocking (and rare) crimes like school shootings tend to get the most attention, compared to other, more common crimes like domestic violence. Crime reporting also typically focuses on isolated incidents of violence instead of exploring trends, asking why it happens, or seeking out solutions that could prevent it from happening again. This police-blotter style of reporting instills fear, discourages positive action, and reinforces American cultural assumptions that violence cannot be prevented. It also makes it harder for advocates to shape crime policy to include investments in prevention.

the path to success

To end violence, we need to enact policies that change the conditions that give rise to it. Besides improving police enforcement, policy solutions should help increase wages, improve the quality of schools, ensure access to quality early care and education, provide better, more affordable health care and mental health care, restrict the availability and marketing of alcohol to youth, fight racism, decrease the availability of drugs and weapons, and improve social support for families with children.

BMSG’s connection

BMSG has helped advocates move policymakers toward creating prevention-oriented legislation in many ways: We have monitored the media for news on violence and shown advocates how to respond to problematic coverage; we have researched narratives on different types of family and community violence to provide advocates and practitioners with a window into the discourse and opportunities to shift it toward prevention and community action; we have developed and refined research-informed messages and communication strategies to support advocates and practitioners in making the case for primary prevention in schools, workplaces, faith communities, and other institutions; we have taught advocates how to develop media strategies and pitch prevention-related stories to reporters; and we have developed tools and conducted workshops to train journalists on how to include a data-driven, prevention-focused approach in violence coverage.