Overt forms of interpersonal, physical, and gun violence have dominated mainstream narratives regarding violence in schools. However, covert and hegemonic forms of violence propagated daily throughout K-12 urban public schools often persist unnoticed and thus unchallenged. The perceived equalizing nature of public education often labels schools as safe, race-neutral landscapes capable of buffering students from outside harm.
Communities impacted by homicide endure profound loss and trauma, yet the voices of those intimately acquainted with navigating its aftermath are often overlooked and undervalued. In this study, we center the perspectives of community violence prevention specialists (CVPS) to understand the role of community-based violence intervention (CVI) in the aftermath of homicide and identify essential needs for fostering holistic and sustainable safety and healing following homicide.
The grant will support studies conducted by the Black & Brown Collective, a multidisciplinary network of several institutions co-founded by Shani Buggs. Buggs is the principal investigator for the award.
Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz, PhD, MPH, and Shani Buggs, PhD, MPH, co-wrote an evaluation report alongside Christy Adams, PhD, MPH, RN and Ian Brown, MD, PhD on the UC Davis Medical Center (UCDMC) Wraparound Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program.
Community violence—defined as unsanctioned violence between unrelated individuals in public places—has devastating physical, psychological, and emotional consequences on individuals, families, and communities. Immense investments in policing and incarceration in the United States have neither prevented community violence nor systemically served those who have been impacted by it, instead often inflicting further harm.
In an article published by Arnold Ventures, Shani Buggs, PhD, MPH, argues for increased recognition and support of community-based violence intervention (CVI) as an integral element of public safety strategies to reduce community violence.
