Acknowledging gun violence as a public health issue could be part of the solution

By Tess Terrible,

Published April 28, 2023 at 6:00 AM EDT

Outside the White House, a woman gathered for a rally holds a sign that reads "Gun Violence is a Public Health Issue." — A woman walks with a sign to protest gun violence and call for sensible gun laws outside the White House June 13, 2016, in Washington, DC. The group We The People For Sensible Gun Laws is calling on Congress to "recognize the nexus between domestic abuse and gun violence"; "require universal background checks"; "require gun safety training"; "reinstate the assault weapons ban"; "ban high capacity ammunition magazines"; "recognize this is a public health emergency"; and "provide research funds into causes and solutions to gun violence."

Last week, a 12-year old Se'Cret Pierce living in Hartford was killed in a drive-by shooting.

Gun violence is one of the leading causes of deaths in America, and the leading cause of death in children. According to the Kaiser Family Foundations, gun-related incidents are common among adults. Despite this, research around this issue remains limited and vastly underfunded.

There is several areas of research when it comes to better understanding gun violence including mass shootings, suicide and intimate partner violence.

Today, we talk about the intersection of gun violence and public health and the push to view gun violence as a public health issue. We’ll hear from Dr. Jennifer Dineen. Associate Director of the Arms Center for Gun Injury Prevention at UConn.

We’ll also talk with Connecticut musician Jimmy Greene. He is the father of Sandy Hook victim Ana Grace Marquez-Greene.

How has gun violence impacted your community?

GUESTS:

Andrew Woods: Chief Executive Officer of Hartford Communities That Care
Dr. Jennifer Dineen: Associate Professor in Residence in the School of Public Policy and Associate Director of the Arms Center for Gun Injury Prevention at UConn
Jimmy Greene: Professor of Music at Western Connecticut State University

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