InmanyU.S.cities,gunviolenceisthemosturgentcrimeproblem.Highratesofdeadlyviolencemakeacitylesslivable,draggingdownqualityoflife,economicdevelopment,andpropertyvalues.Thepolicearetheprimaryagencytaskedwithcontrollinggunviolence,yetadvocatesforgunviolencepreventioneitherignorethepoliceoronlyreferencethemasapartoftheproblem.Butinfact,moreeffectivepolicingiskeytothesuccessofanycomprehensiveefforttoreducecommunitygunviolence.Thestakesarehigh--gunviolenceisconcentratedinlow-incomeBlackcommunities,andconsequentlythesecommunitiesbearthebruntoftheassociatedeconomic,social,andpsychologicalburdens.Anysuccessfulstrategymustovercomethecurrentimpassewheretheresidentsofhigh-violenceneighborhoodsdonottrustthepolice,havingexperiencedbothabuseandneglectintheirdealingswithofficers.Howcanpolicedepartmentsfindtherightbalancebetweenover-andunder-policingofhigh-violenceareas?Whatarethebestpracticesforpolicetopreemptanddetergunviolence,whileengenderingsupportandcooperationfromthepublic?Drawingonfiftyyearsofresearchandpracticalexperience,PolicingGunViolencearguesthatitispossibleforthepolicetocreategreaterpublicsafetywhilerespectingtherightsofindividualsandcommunities.Whilegunviolencecanbeattributedtovarioussystemiccausesthatshouldremainonthepublicagenda--fromwidespreadgunavailabilitytopovertyandracism--AnthonyA.BragaandPhilipJ.Cookmakethecasethatviolenceisitselfarootcauseofsocialdisparityandfutureviolence.Effectivelawenforcementisavitalcomponentofajustsociety.Theyreviewandsynthesizetheevidenceinseveralkeyareas:enforcementofgunlaws,policinghotspots,controllinghigh-riskgroupsthroughfocuseddeterrence,enhancinginvestigationstoincreasethearrestandconvictionrate,preventingofficer-involvedshootings,anddisruptingundergroundgunmarkets.PolicingGunViolenceservesasaguidetohowthepolicecanbetterutilizetheirconsiderableresourcestomakecitiessafer.
social CITIES ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT SOCIAL economicdevelopment
