Topic Areas for Violence Research Agenda | Violence Research Agenda Questions |
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Root causes/cycle of violence | • What are the root causes of different types of violence in different neighborhoods? • What are the different factors that play a part in contributing to or interrupting cycles of violence? • What underlying structural factors (e.g. prison, law enforcement, school discipline) perpetuate violence? • How is sexual and gender-based violence reflected in the cycle of violence? • How is the justice system related to the cycle of violence at individual, family, community levels? • What economic drivers promote or deter violence? • What is the relationship between violence and poverty? How can the violence-poverty cycle be interrupted? |
Racism and bias/structural violence | • How does racism/structural violence contribute to community violence? • What do statistical data (e.g. trends across generations, geographic differences) tell us about structural violence? • How is violence related to current and historical patterns of segregation? • How is violence related to the legacy of slavery? |
Trajectory of violence | • Is there a tipping point or age of intervention when it might be necessary to transition from a prevention perspective to an intervention perspective? What are the points of intervention when people are on a trajectory toward greater involvement in violence? • What should intervention look like and when is it most effective? • What are the effects of violence and trauma on mental health? What are the effects of mental health issues on violence? • What affects the likelihood of involvement in violence for individuals returning to the community after incarceration? • For what reasons do people carry firearms? |
Protective factors and nonviolence | • What are the key protective factors for youth who are not involved in violence? Why do some children grow up to be healthy and successful and others do not? • What promotes thriving in a neighborhood? |
Geographic pattern change | • Why is it historically that the same communities have high rates of violence? • What does violence look like in suburbs that are demographically similar to Chicago neighborhoods with high levels of violence? • Is there something unique or specific to violence in Chicago? |
Violence prevention strategies | • How do public and private funding strategies affect violence? • How effective are programs and policies at reducing and preventing violence? • How well do existing programs, policies, and funding align with the needs of youth, families, and communities? • How quickly do programs and policies have an impact on violence? How long do the effects of programs and policies last? • How do unsuccessful programs and policies affect the community? |
Youth | • What do youth report as their sources of belonging and support? • What do youth report as the biggest challenges they are facing? • What do youth report they need? • What do youth report are good ways to engage and empower them? • What are the best ways for adults to support youth? • What is the role of youth in addressing violence? |
Family factors | • What is the impact of the intergenerational cycle of violence? • What is the relationship between violence in the home and community violence? • What factors contribute to effective or ineffective parenting? • What are the best ways for organizations and institutions to support parenting? • How are household makeup and functioning related to violence? |
Community factors | • How does violence in a community affect the overall health and well-being of the community and its residents? • How do the quality and quantity of youth-supporting services and structures affect community safety? • What is the impact of housing policy and infrastructure (e.g. tearing down housing projects, home ownership, and displacement of residents) on crime and violence? • What strategies lead to community level change in safety? • What are the characteristics of community leadership that contribute to safety? • What strategies promote authentic engagement and empowerment of community residents in ensuring safety? • How does the built environment impact community safety and well-being? |
Schools | • What is the role of schools in addressing violence? • What is the impact of structure, quality, and funding of Chicago’s education system on violence? • How can the school-to-prison pipeline be interrupted? • How does school policy affect violence? |
Police | • How do the Chicago Police Department’s policing practices affect the level of violence? • How does the level of violence affect the Chicago Police Department’s policing practices? • What contributes to relationships between police and community? |
Gangs/street organizations | • What is the relationship between gangs/street organizations and community violence and how has it changed over time? • What is the structure of gangs/street organizations in Chicago? How has it changed over time? • Has policy (e.g., public housing reform, law enforcement strategy) affected the structure of gangs/street organizations? |
Media and public perceptions | • What is the relationship between bullying/cyberbullying/social media and community violence? • What role does media play in promoting or deterring violence? • What role does media play in shaping public perception and community norms? • What role do community norms play in promoting or deterring violence? • What is the relationship between public perception of safety and what data indicate about safety? What is the impact of public perception of safety on level of violent crime in a community? • How can awareness and concern about violence be raised among those who live in communities that are less affected by violence? |