Cure Violence: A Public Health Model to Reduce Gun Violence

TLDR

Progress in reducing gun violence requires changing the social norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence and gun use. The Cure Violence model aims to reduce gun violence by shifting individual and community attitudes and norms, and this article outlines its theoretical basis, evaluates existing programs, identifies evaluation challenges, and suggests future research. The model treats gun violence like a communicable disease that spreads when untreated and operates independently of law enforcement while not undermining it.

Abstract

Scholars and practitioners alike in recent years have suggested that real and lasting progress in the fight against gun violence requires changing the social norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence and the use of guns. The Cure Violence model is a public health approach to gun violence reduction that seeks to change individual and community attitudes and norms about gun violence. It considers gun violence to be analogous to a communicable disease that passes from person to person when left untreated. Cure Violence operates independently of, while hopefully not undermining, law enforcement. In this article, we describe the theoretical basis for the program, review existing program evaluations, identify several challenges facing evaluators, and offer directions for future research.