Gun violence in Virginia is down from a 2021 peak, but there’s still work to be done across the Commonwealth, according to University of Virginia researchers. By examining how fear, social media, and loss of community resources contribute to gun violence among youth and young adults, the researchers hope to inform effective policy, from the community to the federal level.
The research and policy recommendations draw on 58 interviews: 31 with adult community stakeholders and 27 with youth or young adults who self-identified as growing up in neighborhoods experiencing gun violence. In addition to hearing from people who live in gun violence hotspots in the Roanoke, Tidewater, and Richmond areas, researchers spoke with 12 people from the greater Charlottesville area because of its proximity to UVA.
Lead report author Andy Block was joined by co-authors and researchers Lucy Guanara and Trae Watkins at a December 4 virtual roundtable examining the findings…