{"id":66115,"date":"2021-12-08T08:00:28","date_gmt":"2021-12-08T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/?p=66115"},"modified":"2025-03-04T13:31:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T18:31:41","slug":"reducing-violence-and-building-trust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/","title":{"rendered":"Reducing Violence and Building Trust"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The field of public health is much like that of public safety. Both are tasked with practical goals to enhance their communities\u2019 well-being.<\/strong> Both use data to guide their strategies and deploy resources. Public health and public safety outcomes are closely linked because the conditions that produce good community health (e.g., strong schools, sufficient and equitable economic opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and green community spaces) also improve community safety. Conditions that determine health and safety are the direct result of laws and public policies intended to maximize critical public goods.<\/p>\n<p>The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy (CGVPP) has pioneered the application of public health strategies to combat gun violence, a problem that was traditionally viewed only through a crime lens. In addition to studying the effects of gun laws on gun violence and suicides, the CGVPP studies community-based violence intervention programs and works with police departments to assess the impacts of gun and drug law enforcement practices on gun violence. Although public health approaches to violence are often presented as alternatives to policing, the CGVPP views effective and fair law enforcement as a vital part of a holistic approach to reducing gun violence. However, the center also studies and attempts to prevent law enforcement practices that harm individuals and communities.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>Recent Challenges Relevant to Violence and Community-Police Trust in Baltimore<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>CGVPP began a collaboration with Baltimore Police Department (BPD), the state\u2019s attorney for Baltimore City, and the mayor\u2019s office in late 2015 following widespread destructive civil unrest after the in-custody death of Freddie Gray earlier that year. Immediately following the unrest, Baltimore\u2019s gun violence surged by roughly 70 percent and remains persistently high.<\/p>\n<p>The anger that fueled the riots in 2015 did not stem only from Mr. Gray\u2019s death. A U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) investigation of BPD completed in 2016 revealed evidence of a longstanding and widespread pattern of unconstitutional stops, searches, and arrests and of enforcement practices that led to \u201csevere and unjustified racial disparities in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Safe Streets Act.\u201d<sup>1<\/sup> The investigation documented abuses committed by members of specialized units tasked with suppressing gun violence by making arrests for illegal firearm possession. In another blow to the legitimacy of the Baltimore Police Department, eight officers of BPD\u2019s Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) were indicted in early 2017 for committing a host of serious crimes while they racked up large numbers of arrests for gun and drug violations.<sup>2<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>In many ways, since 2015, BPD leaders have faced the kinds of challenges that law enforcement leaders across the United States have faced since the spring of 2020\u2014abusive police practices, protests against those practices, plummeting trust of police by communities, some curtailment in proactive policing, and surging gun violence that burden departments\u2019 investigative resources. In 2020, the U.S. murder rate increased by 30 percent from 2019, the largest one-year increase that has been recorded in at least 60 years. Firearms were used in 77 percent of murders in 2020, a historic high mark for firearm involvement in lethal violence. Murder clearance rates also dipped.<sup>3<\/sup> Many factors likely contributed to this historic increase in gun violence, including massive disruptions due to shutdowns to control the COVID-19 pandemic, but increased gun carrying and decreased proactive policing likely played important roles.<sup>4<\/sup><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>The Reducing Violence and Building Trust Project<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The CGVPP received support from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and local foundations to develop recommendations for more effective and fair enforcement of gun laws in Baltimore. The recommendations, released in June 2020, were based on the best available research and informed by surveys and focus groups with community members most impacted by gun violence and harmful police practices.<\/p>\n<p>In this project, the CGVPP sought to synthesize research relevant to proactive gun law enforcement; findings from a USDOJ Civil Rights Division investigation of the Baltimore Police Department; a survey of a sample of police leaders about their policies and practices in the wake of growing calls for police to curtail stop-and-search practices that disproportionately harm individuals who are black and brown; household surveys and focus groups of individuals who live in Baltimore neighborhoods with the highest concentration of shootings; and data from the dispositions and sentencing for individuals charged with illegal gun possession in Baltimore.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>Key Findings<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_66129\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66129\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-66129\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-913775498-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-66129\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A man stops to thank the police in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The number of BPD arrests for illegal gun possession in a police post did not impact shootings in that post, but deployment of specialized teams in hot spots for shootings did reduce gun violence in those locations. Ready access to firearms, particularly in the hands of individuals with histories of prior violence, increases risk of shootings and homicides. Laws that deter illegal gun possession by requiring licensing of handgun purchasers and restrict who can carry concealed firearms in public are associated with reductions in gun violence.<sup>5<\/sup> Studies of hot spot deployment of special units focused on detecting and deterring illegal gun possession found consistent reductions in shootings.<sup>6<\/sup> The CGVPP\u2019s prior study of monthly trends in shootings in police posts in Baltimore found that specialized gun violence suppression units deployed in hot spots were associated with significant reductions in gun violence.<sup>7<\/sup> This study also found that, after controlling for the deployment of these units, changes in the number of arrests for illegal gun possession in a given post and month did not impact shootings in that post the following month. (A study in Philadelphia, however, found shorter-term violence suppression within a couple of blocks from a gun arrest.<sup>8<\/sup>)<\/p>\n<p>The need for proactive gun law enforcement to be highly focused on individuals and situations where the risk for gun violence is the highest with robust measures to promote procedural justice is underscored by research evidence showing that stop-and-search practices can harm individuals and erode police legitimacy and trust with the communities they serve.<sup>9<\/sup><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>Findings from the USDOJ Pattern and Practice Investigation<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>BPD\u2019s gun law enforcement strategy has historically prioritized stop-and-search practices with insufficient training and oversight to prevent racial profiling. The 2016 USDOJ investigation found BPD officers were often unconstitutional and excessive in their use of stops and searches. Officers had \u201cminimal training and insufficient oversight from supervisors or through other accountability structures.\u201d<sup>10<\/sup> BPD leaders had long encouraged aggressive proactive gun law enforcement and rewarded officers based on the number of arrests for weapons violations and gun seizures. This approach, absent sufficient training and oversight, created conditions in which officers often violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. African Americans were disproportionately harmed by these practices.<\/p>\n<p>BPD lacks the technical infrastructure to monitor how officers engage in stop-and-search practices resulting in missed opportunities for intervention, professional development, and disciplinary action.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\">Findings From Surveys of Residents in Neighborhoods with High Levels of Gun Violence<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In 2018, the CGVPP conducted a household survey of 200 residents of neighborhoods identified by city officials as having the highest levels of gun violence. The survey sought to ascertain residents\u2019 experiences and perspectives relative to gun violence and law enforcement practices. Key findings included the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A large majority of residents are concerned about illegal gun carrying in their neighborhoods.<\/li>\n<li>BPD\u2019s stop-and-search practices elicit fear and distrust and are inconducive to public safety.<\/li>\n<li>There is widespread support for improved internal monitoring of the outcomes from each arrest by officers for illegal gun possession.<\/li>\n<li>Community members are eager to participate in police oversight efforts and many associate improved data transparency with increased trust.<\/li>\n<li>Residents lack faith in BPD\u2019s ability to bring individuals who commit violence to justice. Perceived risk of being shot and perceptions that illegal gun carrying is likely to go unpunished lead some residents to view gun carrying as a necessary means for self-defense.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>Findings from a Review of State Court Records for Illegal Gun Possession Charges<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Publicly available data indicate that from May 1, 2015, through May 31, 2019, there were 10,600 cases in which individuals were charged with illegal firearm possession. (Note that there can be multiple individuals within a given case). These gun charges primarily fall into one of four categories: felon in possession; prohibited person (not a felon) in possession; drug trafficking while in possession of a firearm; and illegal wear, carry, or transport (no permit). Key findings from this review follow:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Four out of every 10 charges for illegal firearm possession in Baltimore City resulted in a formal disposition outcome (e.g., guilty plea, conviction, or probation before judgement). Reasons for the remaining gun charges being dropped or defendants being found not guilty are not routinely shared with police or the public.<\/li>\n<li>Sentences for individuals without a prior felony result in little or no prison time; however, those with felony convictions as well as those in possession of a firearm while drug trafficking tend to receive sentences lasting five years or longer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Among all 10,600 cases with illegal gun charges, 41 percent resulted in a guilty or probation before judgement disposition on an illegal firearm possession charge in state courts. Nine percent resulted in a guilty disposition due to a charge within a different category than the four primary crime types examined. Forty-five percent of the cases in which someone was initially charged with illegal possession of a firearm did not yield a guilty disposition for any charge in state courts. The most common dispositions are nolle prosequi (charge dismissed by the state prosecutor) or stet (charge deactivated) accounting for 34 percent of dispositions.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_66139\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66139\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-66139\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-807426012-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-807426012-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-807426012-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-807426012-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-807426012-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-807426012-2048x1280.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-66139\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A community in Baltimore, MD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Interpreting these disposition outcomes is difficult without systematic recording of the reasons for gun charges being dropped or defendants being found not guilty. Prosecutors record this information for internal purposes, but do not share those data with BPD or the public. Of primary concern are cases that are dropped due to illegal stops and searches, inconsistencies in charging documents and body-worn camera evidence, or evidence tampering. Without this information, it is difficult for BPD to correct problems with gun arrests.<\/p>\n<p>Based on a review of prior criminological research on the impacts of penalties for crimes and the risks for future offending the CGVPP concluded the following.<\/p>\n<p>Increasing the certainty that violators experience consequences for committing gun crime is more important and cost effective in reducing crime than increasing the length of sentences. Some have argued for long prison sentences for illegal gun possession because the number of prior arrests for these crimes are among the best predictors for whether a defendant will subsequently be charged with murder.<sup>11<\/sup> Yet only a small percentage of individuals charged with illegal gun possession subsequently commit murders.<sup>12<\/sup> There has been minimal research on penalties specific to illegal gun possession absent criminal acts of violence with a gun. A study of the New York State 2006 law that increased the mandatory minimum sentence for illegally possessing a firearm from one year to three and a half years found that during the first four years the law was in place the law was associated with an 11 percent decrease in robberies, but there were no changes in aggravated assaults or murders with firearms.<sup>13<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Drawing from a broad range of research on incarceration, policing, and crime deterrence, economist Steven Durlauf and criminologist Daniel Nagin drew three conclusions: (1) The marginal deterrent effect of increasing lengthy prison sentences is modest at best; (2) imprisonment, compared with non-custodial sanctions such as probation, does not prevent reoffending and often has a criminogenic effect on those who are imprisoned; and (3) increased visibility of police, especially in hot spots for gun violence, tends to have larger marginal deterrent effects than increased incarceration.<sup>14<\/sup> There is strong evidence that increasing the certainty of penalties, even with very short-term incarceration, for reoffending can significantly deter reoffending.<sup>15<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Evidence-informed behavioral interventions that could reduce violence among illegal gun possessors are generally lacking in Baltimore. Because most who have convictions for such offenses in Baltimore return to Baltimore, effective behavioral interventions for persons with a history of gun offenses are needed to prevent reoffending. Roca is a program engaging with some youthful gun offenders (ages 16 to 24 years) with behavioral interventions that draw upon cognitive behavioral theory (CBT). CBT has been effective in many programs designed to reduce violence and criminal offending.<sup>16<\/sup> However, Roca is a very intensive program that can last up to four years. There is a much larger population of persons found guilty of illegal firearm possession in Baltimore than whom Roca can currently reach with its program model. Court-based interventions programs for gun offenders have not been formally evaluated, but programs could be developed that draw upon the components of other interventions shown to reduce violence by individuals at high risk for violence.<sup>17<\/sup><\/p>\n<aside class=\"pullout alignleft\"><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Components of a Focused, Proactive Gun Law Enforcement Strategy<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li>Driven by intelligence<\/li>\n<li>Focused on individuals at highest risk for violence involvement<\/li>\n<li>Led by small teams of experienced officers trained in constitutional policing<\/li>\n<li>Conducted with close supervision and oversight to ensure that officers adhere to the highest professional standards<\/li>\n<li>Carried out in ways that promote trust between communities and police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/aside>\n<p>Focused deterrence programs have been found to successfully reduce gun violence in many cities. Implementation problems in Baltimore may have prevented public safety benefits but can be overcome. Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) or focused deterrence narrowly targets the small fraction of a city\u2019s residents who drive gun violence and communicates directly to those individuals both the consequences of future violence and the message from key community voices that they must turn away from violence. Services and supports are offered to help these individuals reduce their risk for future involvement in violence. The strategy has a strong record of reducing shootings.<sup>18<\/sup> Implemented appropriately, focused deterrence programs should lead to fewer negative encounters between police and community members than is the case with broad use of stop-and-search practices in policing.<sup>19<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Baltimore previously tried this strategy without success; however, several problems with program implementation have been identified that, if corrected, could lead to more favorable results. Oakland, California, also had prior failed attempts of implementing focused deterrence. However, its GVRS launched in 2012 was connected to police reforms and led to greater accountability to communities, respectful engagement with those at high risk, relationship-based social services, and partnership-based program management, which increased community leaders\u2019 support for the strategy. The results were transformative\u2013large reductions in homicides, fewer arrests, and fewer use-of-force incidents.<sup>20<\/sup><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>Recommendations and Current Progress<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Based on these findings, the CGVPP team produced the following recommendations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">1. BPD should incorporate a comprehensive proactive gun law enforcement strategy instead of promoting the broad use of stop-and-search practices by patrol officers, emphasizing practices that are<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\">\u25a0 driven by intelligence,<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\">\u25a0 focused on individuals at highest risk for violence involvement,<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\">\u25a0 led by small teams of experienced officers trained in constitutional policing,<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\">\u25a0 conducted with close supervision and oversight to ensure that officers adhere to the highest professional standards, and<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\">\u25a0\u00a0carried out in a way that promotes trust between communities and police.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_66144\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-66144\" style=\"width: 420px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-66144\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1173428028-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-66144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Baltimore City police vehicles. (Photo by Rob Carr\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in;\">Attuned to the harmful effects of broad-scale stop-and-search tactics and to research showing that a very small proportion of individuals are responsible for the violence, law enforcement agencies are changing their proactive gun law enforcement strategies. Person-oriented approaches informed by robust intelligence, data from surveillance technology, and, in some cases, sophisticated analytics have yielded success. Paired with appropriate training as well as internal and external accountability structures, highly targeted proactive gun law enforcement can enhance public safety without eroding community trust.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0071ce;\"><strong>From Research to Action in Baltimore:<\/strong>\u00a0BPD Police Commissioner Michael Harrison announced new policies and training procedures of the BPD Academy on constitutional stops, searches, and arrests in February 2021 to ensure compliance with the consent decree.<sup>21<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">2. BPD and the state\u2019s attorney\u2019s office (SAO) should partner to develop a robust data-informed system incorporating input and intelligence from those engaged at all levels of the criminal justice system so that gun-related crimes may be evaluated from arrest through to adjudication.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in;\">To identify problematic practices such as illegal searches and to improve the quality of proactive gun law enforcement, prosecutors and police should have an integrated, shared database. This database should be used to track the reasons that charges are dropped and to identify officers or units who have a significant share of their gun-related arrests dismissed due to problematic searches or evidence. Aggregated data from this database should be made public to allow anyone to assess progress and promote accountability.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">3. Using these data, BPD and SAO should identify priority cases to review and carry out steps to improve outcomes (e.g., providing officers with feedback, training, or disciplinary actions when appropriate).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0071ce;\"><strong>From Research to Action in Baltimore:<\/strong>\u00a0BPD and the SAO have monthly meetings to discuss gun cases and identify and correct problematic practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">4. BPD and SAO should make comprehensive data related to stops, searches, arrests, and the dispositions of charges involving illegal possession of firearms available to the public.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in;\">Arrests of all types, including weapons violations, can be identified through Open Baltimore. However, data on stops, searches, and dispositions for charges are not publicly available.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">5. BPD should concentrate its proactive gun law enforcement on individuals at highest risk for violence involvement and support these efforts by collecting data that reflect indicators of risk for each person charged with illegal possession of a firearm.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in;\">The impact of proactive gun law enforcement depends on whether those who are arrested with firearms are linked to prior violence or planning future violence. BPD should track indicators of risk connected to the arrest (e.g., ballistics test shows the gun was used in a shooting; prior charges for crimes involving violence; person of interest in a murder, nonfatal shooting, or armed robbery).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0071ce;\"><strong>From Research to Action in Baltimore:<\/strong>BPD now uses shooting reviews as well as real-time data and intelligence from Baltimore City intelligence centers to inform daily deployments focused on deterring shootings and other serious crimes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">6. The Mayor\u2019s Office for Criminal Justice should work with community-based organizations and academic experts to develop, implement, and evaluate a program to reduce the risk of illegal gun possessors committing gun crime in the future.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0071ce;\"><strong>From Research to Action in Baltimore:<\/strong>The SAO, Mayor\u2019s Office for Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, Dr. Webster, and leadership from Roca\u2019s violence prevention organization have reviewed program models and are considering the feasibility of a pilot program focused on youthful gun offenders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">7. Baltimore should implement a focused deterrence program to reduce gun violence that is appropriately targeted, effectively communicated, delivers promised services, involves respected community voices, and delivers swift and certain justice in response to violence.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0071ce;\"><strong>From Research to Action in Baltimore:<\/strong>Baltimore is implementing a Group Violence Reduction Strategy in late 2021. Resources have been secured, initial problem analyses have been completed for the Western District by Dr. Anthony Braga, a criminologist with decades of experience providing technical\u00a0assistance and studying programs of this type. BPD has a team overseen by Deputy Commissioner Sheree Briscoe. David Muhamad and the California Partnership for Safe Communities is providing important consultation for program planning and implementation. Contracts have been signed with local organizations providing street outreach, life coaches, and referrals for services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .2in; text-indent: -.15in;\">8. BPD and SAO should develop a strategic plan for improving the identification, arrest, and prosecution of shooters that is data-driven and informed by the best scientific evidence.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0071ce;\"><strong>From Research to Action in Baltimore:<\/strong>BPD developed and instituted a \u201cPerformance Scorecard\u201d to ensure homicide, nonfatal shooting, and robbery detectives complete all key investigative actions promptly and thoroughly. These actions must be documented in the case management system for effective prosecution. The scorecard facilitates weekly case audits of detectives\u2019 actions on 43 unique tasks across 22 performance categories. These categories include crime scene response, area canvasses, review of technological resources (e.g., surveillance cameras, license plate readers, body-worn camera footage, jail calls, social media), lab results (e.g., IBIS leads, DNA and fingerprint analyses), search warrants, intradepartmental information-sharing, family and community outreach, and case reviews with supervisors and prosecutors. Commanders use the scorecards in weekly accountability sessions with detective unit supervisors. Since the implementation of the review process, detectives\u2019 performance scores have improved dramatically from the mid-60th percentile to the mid-90th percentile.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #f5a81c;\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<table class=\"alignright\" style=\"width: 45%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: none; background-color: #102c4e;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<h4 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>IACP RESOURCES<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><big>\u2022<\/big>\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #ffffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theiacp.org\/resources\/steps-to-building-trust\">Steps to Building Trust<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><big>\u2022<\/big>\u00a0 <a style=\"color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theiacp.org\/resources\/gun-and-gang-violence-reduction-resources\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Gun and Gang Violence Reduction Resources<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theIACP.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff; text-decoration: underline;\">theIACP.org<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><big>\u2022<\/big>\u00a0 \u201c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #ffffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/police-crime-prevention-and-community-integration\/\">Police, Crime Prevention, and Community Integration<\/a><\/span>\u201d (article)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.2in;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><big>\u2022<\/big>\u00a0 \u201c<a style=\"color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/crime-prevention-in-the-21st-century\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Crime Prevention in the 21st Century<\/span><\/a>\u201d (article)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Using a variety of data, prior research, and surveys of impacted communities the CGVPP developed recommendations for law enforcement agencies to address the dual and related challenges of combatting gun violence and rebuilding trust between police and the communities they serve. While some of Baltimore\u2019s challenges are unique, most are common in cities across the globe. Making large numbers of arrests for illegal gun possession is insufficient to reduce gun violence and can lead to unintended harms. These recommendations are consistent with Thomas Abt\u2019s recipe for reducing urban gun violence\u2014strategies that are highly focused, balanced (not relying solely on police and incarceration to solve the problem), and fair.<sup>22<\/sup> If fully implemented, researchers at CGVPP and practitioners at BPD believe that they can be transformative.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: none; background-color: #102c4e;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-66148\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"175\" height=\"262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daniel-Webster-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><big><strong>Daniel Webster<\/strong>, ScD, MPH, is Bloomberg Professor of American Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he directs the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy. Dr. Webster\u2019s research has informed policies to reduce gun violence at the local, state, and federal levels.<\/big><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-66149\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cassandra-Crifasi-300x223.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"175\" height=\"130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cassandra-Crifasi-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cassandra-Crifasi-1024x762.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cassandra-Crifasi-768x572.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cassandra-Crifasi-1536x1143.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cassandra-Crifasi-2048x1524.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><big><strong>Cassandra Crifasi<\/strong>, PhD, is an assistant professor in the department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins University and deputy director of the Center for Gun Violence.<\/big><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-66150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Martin-Bartness-260x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"175\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Martin-Bartness-260x300.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Martin-Bartness-888x1024.jpg 888w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Martin-Bartness-768x885.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Martin-Bartness-1332x1536.jpg 1332w, https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Martin-Bartness-1776x2048.jpg 1776w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><big>Lt. Col. <strong>Martin Bartness<\/strong>, MCJ, MA, is the Deputy Chief of Patrol for the Baltimore Police Department. He previously served as the Chief of Staff to the Police Commissioner and the commander of Education &amp; Training, Special Investigations, Strategic Services, and Professional Standards &amp; Accountability.<\/big><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><sup>1<\/sup>U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ), <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/file\/883366\/download\">The Investigation of the Baltimore City Police Department<\/a><\/em> (Washington, D.C.: Civil Rights Division, 2016).<\/p>\n<p><sup>2<\/sup>German Lopez, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/policy-and-politics\/2018\/2\/2\/16961146\/baltimore-gun-trace-task-force-trial\">8 Cops Allegedly Used an Elite Baltimore Police Team to Plunder the City and Its Residents<\/a>,\u201d Vox News, February 13, 2018.<\/p>\n<p><sup>3<\/sup>Jeff Asher, \u201cMurders Rose by Almost 30 Percent in 2020. It\u2019s Rising at a Slower Rate in 2021,\u201d <em>The New York Times<\/em>, September 22, 2021.<\/p>\n<p><sup>4<\/sup>Rob Arthur and Jeff Asher, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/22529989\/2020-murders-guns\">One Possible Cause of the 2020 Murder Increase: More Guns<\/a>,\u201d Vox News, June 12, 2021; Jens Ludwig, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/opinion\/commentary\/ct-opinion-data-points-gun-carrying-crime-lab-20210403-5iz6blr6urhlji7hxwyjwrnhc4-htmlstory.html\">Data Points: Illegal Gun Carrying in Chicago Spiked in 2020\u2014and Deadly Violence Followed<\/a>,\u201d <em>The Chicago Tribune<\/em>, April 2, 2021.<\/p>\n<p><sup>5<\/sup>Alexander D. McCourt et al., \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ajph.aphapublications.org\/doi\/10.2105\/AJPH.2020.305822\">Purchaser Licensing, Point-of-Sale Background Check Laws, and Firearm Homicide and Suicide in 4 U.S. States<\/a>,\u201d <em>American Journal of Public Health<\/em> 110, no. (October 2020): 1546\u20131552; Cassandra K. Crifasi et al., \u201cAssociation between Firearm Laws and Homicide in Large, Urban U.S. Counties,\u201d <em>Journal of Urban Health<\/em> 95, no. 3 (June 2018): 383\u2013390 and Crifasi et al., \u201cCorrection to: Association between Firearm Laws and Homicide in Urban Counties,\u201d <em>Journal of Urban Health<\/em> 95, no. 5, (2018): 773\u2013776; Hannah Abelow, Cassandra Crifasi, and Daniel Webster, \u201cThe Legal and Empirical Case for Firearm Purchaser Licensing,\u201d <em>Journal of Law, Medicine &amp; Ethics <\/em>48, suppl. 4 (December 2020): 17\u201324; Terry L. Schell et al., \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/117\/26\/14906\">Changes in Firearm Mortality Following the Implementation of State Laws Regulating Firearm Access and Use<\/a>,\u201d <em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America<\/em> 117, no. 26 (June 2020): 14906\u201314910; John J. Donohue, Abhay Aneja, and Kyle D. Weber, \u201cRight\u2010to\u2010Carry Laws and Violent Crime: A Comprehensive Assessment Using Panel Data and a State\u2010Level Synthetic Control Analysis,\u201d <em>Journal of Empirical Legal Studies<\/em> 16, no. 2 (June 2019): 198\u2013247.<\/p>\n<p><sup>6<\/sup>Christopher S. Koper C, Evan Mayo-Wilson, and John Smith, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.4073\/csr.2012.11\">Police Strategies to Reduce Illegal Possession and Carrying of Firearms: Effects on Gun Crime<\/a>,<\/em> Campbell Systematic Reviews, 11 (2012).<\/p>\n<p><sup>7<\/sup>Daniel W. Webster, Shani A.L. Buggs, and Cassandra K. Crifasi, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/research\/centers-and-institutes\/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-violence-prevention-and-policy\/_archive-2019\/_pdfs\/JHSPH-Gun-Violence-in-Baltimore.pdf\">Estimating the Effects of Law Enforcement and Public Health Interventions to Reduce Gun Violence in Baltimore<\/a><\/em> (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2018).<\/p>\n<p><sup>8<\/sup>Brian R. Wyant et al., \u201cDeterrence, Firearm Arrests, and Subsequent Shootings: A Micro-level Spatio-temporal Analysis,\u201d <em>Justice Quarterly<\/em> 29, no. 4 (2012): 524\u2013545.<\/p>\n<p><sup>9<\/sup>Amanda Geller et al., \u201cAggressive Policing and the Mental Health of Young Urban Men,\u201d <em>American Journal of Public Health<\/em> 104, no. 12 (December 2014): 2321\u20132327; Abigail A. Sewell and Kevin A. Jefferson, \u201cCollateral Damage: The Health Effects of Invasive Police Encounters in New York City,\u201d <em>Journal of Urban Health<\/em> 93, suppl. 1 (2016): S42\u2013S67; Dylan B. Jackson et al., \u201cPolice Stops among At-Risk Youth: Repercussions for Mental Health,\u201d <em>Journal of Adolescent Health<\/em> 65, no. 5 (November 2019): 627\u2013632; Tom R. Tyler, Jeffrey Fagan, and Amanda Geller, \u201cStreet Stops and Police Legitimacy: Teachable Moments in Young Urban Men\u2019s Legal Socialization,\u201d <em>Journal of Empirical Legal Studies <\/em>11 no. 4 (December 2014): 751\u2013785.<\/p>\n<p><sup>10<\/sup>USDOJ, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/crt\/file\/883296\/download\">Investigation of the Baltimore City Police Department<\/a><\/em>, 5.<\/p>\n<p><sup>11<\/sup>Richard A. Berk et al., \u201cEstimation Procedures for Pooled Cross-Sectional and Time Series Data,\u201d <em>Evaluation Quarterly<\/em> 3, no.3 (August 1979): 385\u2013410.<\/p>\n<p><sup>12<\/sup>David E, Olson et al., <em><a href=\"https:\/\/loyolaccj.org\/IllinoisGunPosessionArrestBulletinjuly2020[9718].pdf#:~:text=been%20analyzing%20information%20on\">Arrests in Illinois for Illegal Possession of a Firearm: Examining the Characteristics and Trends in Arrests for Illegal Possession of a Firearm within the Context of Crimes Involving Guns<\/a><\/em> (Chicago, IL: Loyola University Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy, and Practice, 2020).<\/p>\n<p><sup>13<\/sup>Mehdi Barati and Scott Adams, \u201cEnhanced Penalties for Carrying Firearms Illegally and Their Effects on Crime,\u201d <em>Economic Analysis and Policy<\/em> 63 (September 2019): 207\u2013219.<\/p>\n<p><sup>14<\/sup>Steven N. Durlauf and Daniel S. Nagin, \u201cImprisonment and Crime: Can Both Be Reduced?\u201d <em>Criminology &amp; Public Policy<\/em> 10, no. 1 (February 2011): 13\u201354.<\/p>\n<p><sup>15<\/sup>Jonathan Kulick and Angela Hawken, \u201cSwift, Certain, and Fair: Review of State of Knowledge,\u201d <em>Perspectives: Journal of the American Probation and Parole Association<\/em> 41, no. 3 (2017): 34\u201341.<\/p>\n<p><sup>16<\/sup>Mark W. Lipsey, Nana A. Landenberger, and Sandra J. Wilson, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.4073\/csr.2007.6\">Effects of Cognitive\u2010Behavioral Programs for Criminal Offenders<\/a>,\u201d <em>Campbell Systematic Reviews<\/em> 3, no. 1 (2007): 1\u201327.<\/p>\n<p><sup>17<\/sup>Leslie S. Zun, Lavonne Downey, and Jodi Rosen, \u201cThe Effectiveness of an ED-Based Violence Prevention Program,\u201d <em>American Journal of Emergency Medicine<\/em> 24, no. 1 (January 2006): 8\u201313; Carnell Cooper, Dawn M. Eslinger, and Paul D. Stolley, \u201cHospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs Work,\u201d <em>Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery<\/em> 61, no. 3 (September 2006): 534\u2013540.<\/p>\n<p><sup>18<\/sup>Anthony A. Braga, David Weisburd, Brandon Turchan, \u201cFocused Deterrence Strategies and Crime Control: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta\u2010analysis of the Empirical Evidence,\u201d <em>Criminology &amp; Public Policy<\/em> 17, no. 1 (February 2018): 205\u2013250.<\/p>\n<p><sup>19<\/sup>David Kennedy \u00a0and Jonathan Ben-Menachem, \u201cMoving Toward an American Police-Community Reconciliation Framework,\u201d in <em>The Cambridge Handbook of Policing in the United States<\/em>, eds. Tamara Rice Lave and Eric J. Miller (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2019), 570\u2013571.<\/p>\n<p><sup>20<\/sup>Anthony A. Braga et al., <a href=\"https:\/\/witnessla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/oakland_ceasefire_impact_evaluation_key_findings.pdf\"><em>Oakland Ceasefire Impact Evaluation: Key Findings<\/em><\/a> (August 2018).<\/p>\n<p><sup>21<\/sup>Phil Davis, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/news\/crime\/bs-md-ci-cr-baltimore-police-arrests-policy-20210210-3usucbqxofcnvh736kwukczrx4-story.html\">Baltimore Police Unveil New Policies on Stopping and Searching Residents to Comply with Federal Consent Decree<\/a>,\u201d <em>Baltimore Sun<\/em>, February 10, 2021.<\/p>\n<p><sup>22<\/sup>Thomas Abt, <em>Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets<\/em> (New York, NY: Basic Books, 2019).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Please cite as<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Daniel W. Webster, Cassandra K. Crifasi, and Martin Bartness, \u201cReducing Violence and Building Trust: Data to Guide Gun Law Enforcement in Baltimore,\u201d <em>Police Chief<\/em> 88, no. 12 (December 2021): 54\u201360.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The field of public health is much like that of public safety. Both are tasked with practical goals to enhance their communities\u2019 well-being.<\/strong> Both use data to guide their strategies and deploy resources. Public health and public safety outcomes are closely linked because the conditions that produce good community health (e.g., strong schools, sufficient and equitable economic opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and green community spaces) also improve community safety. Conditions that determine health and safety are the direct result of laws and public policies intended to maximize critical public goods.<\/p>\n<p>The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy (CGVPP) has pioneered the application of public health strategies to combat gun violence, a problem that was traditionally viewed only through a crime lens. In addition to studying the effects of gun laws on gun violence and suicides, the CGVPP studies community-based violence intervention programs and works with police departments to assess the impacts of gun and drug law enforcement practices on gun violence. Although public health approaches to violence are often presented as alternatives to policing, the CGVPP views effective and fair law enforcement as a vital part of a holistic approach to reducing gun violence. However, the center also studies and attempts to prevent law enforcement practices that harm individuals and communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4042,"featured_media":66128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128],"tags":[1624,2032,856,358],"class_list":["post-66115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime-violence","tag-baltimore","tag-community-gun-violence","tag-gun-violence","tag-public-health"],"acf":{"subtitle":"Data to Guide Gun Law Enforcement in Baltimore","post_author":"Daniel W. Webster, ScD, MPH, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy; Cassandra K. Crifasi, PhD, MPH, Deputy Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy; and Martin Bartness, Deputy Chief, Baltimore Police Department, Maryland","main_category":"Crime & Violence","legacy_article_id":"","legacy_issue_id":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.4 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Reducing Violence and Building Trust - Police Chief Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reducing Violence and Building Trust\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The field of public health is much like that of public safety. Both are tasked with practical goals to enhance their communities\u2019 well-being. Both use data to guide their strategies and deploy resources. Public health and public safety outcomes are closely linked because the conditions that produce good community health (e.g., strong schools, sufficient and equitable economic opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and green community spaces) also improve community safety. Conditions that determine health and safety are the direct result of laws and public policies intended to maximize critical public goods.  The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy (CGVPP) has pioneered the application of public health strategies to combat gun violence, a problem that was traditionally viewed only through a crime lens. In addition to studying the effects of gun laws on gun violence and suicides, the CGVPP studies community-based violence intervention programs and works with police departments to assess the impacts of gun and drug law enforcement practices on gun violence. Although public health approaches to violence are often presented as alternatives to policing, the CGVPP views effective and fair law enforcement as a vital part of a holistic approach to reducing gun violence. However, the center also studies and attempts to prevent law enforcement practices that harm individuals and communities.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Police Chief Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheIACP\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-12-08T13:00:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-04T18:31:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1333863175-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1610\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Margaret White\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@TheIACP\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@TheIACP\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Margaret White\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"22 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Margaret White\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#\/schema\/person\/8ccef21069086f34ed017e84cdf4fe52\"},\"headline\":\"Reducing Violence and Building Trust\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-12-08T13:00:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-04T18:31:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/\"},\"wordCount\":4458,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.policechiefmagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/GettyImages-1333863175-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"baltimore\",\"community gun violence\",\"gun violence\",\"public health\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Crime &amp; 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Both are tasked with practical goals to enhance their communities\u2019 well-being. Both use data to guide their strategies and deploy resources. Public health and public safety outcomes are closely linked because the conditions that produce good community health (e.g., strong schools, sufficient and equitable economic opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and green community spaces) also improve community safety. Conditions that determine health and safety are the direct result of laws and public policies intended to maximize critical public goods.  The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy (CGVPP) has pioneered the application of public health strategies to combat gun violence, a problem that was traditionally viewed only through a crime lens. In addition to studying the effects of gun laws on gun violence and suicides, the CGVPP studies community-based violence intervention programs and works with police departments to assess the impacts of gun and drug law enforcement practices on gun violence. Although public health approaches to violence are often presented as alternatives to policing, the CGVPP views effective and fair law enforcement as a vital part of a holistic approach to reducing gun violence. 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