ICYMI: Experts Laud Booker’s Groundbreaking Gun Violence Prevention Measure

More than twenty advocacy groups endorse bill

Leading gun violence experts from across the country are applauding a groundbreaking measure unveiled last week to reduce urban gun violence in American cities. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act would provide federal grants to help U.S. cities implement evidence-based gun violence intervention and prevention programs designed to interrupt cycles of violence. More than twenty advocacy groups have announced their endorsement of the bill.

Pastor Mike McBride, Co-Founder, Black & Brown Gun Violence Prevention Consortium: “We’re in a tough political climate. This approach charts a way forward that does not bog us down in these intense debates over the second amendment or gun control.”

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of Giffords: “Solving our country’s gun violence epidemic cannot happen until we address the violence that rarely makes the headlines. It’s past time we gave leaders in the neighborhoods most impacted, who can help those most at-risk, the resources and support they need to stop violence in their communities. We know the programs funded in this bill are proven to work. Now Senator Booker and Representative Horsford are leading a charge to make sure we bring them to every city struggling with this problem. We’re grateful for their work to ensure we put federal dollars behind community-based efforts that are proven to reduce gun violence and save lives.”

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: “Urban gun violence accounts for 80% of America’s gun homicides each year and disproportionately affects young people of color. Far too often conversations about how to solve our nation’s gun violence epidemic leave out the communities most impacted. Brady applauds Senator Booker and Representative Horsford for introducing this critical piece of legislation. Evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs are a cornerstone of the comprehensive solution to preventing gun violence in America and Brady is delighted to support efforts that reflect that core value.”

The Guardian: Cory Booker wants $90m a year to prevent urban gun violence. “Booker’s legislation is designed to fund programs that have shown success in reducing gun violence in cities such as Oakland and Richmond, California; Boston, Massachusetts; and New York City. In the past decade, as they have invested public dollars into expanding community-based strategies, Oakland has seen a 44% decrease in its gun homicide rate, and nearby Richmond has seen a 67% decrease in its gun homicide rate.”

Newsweek: Cory Booker unveils legislation to tackle urban gun violence, fund community-based solutions. “The proposed piece of legislation targets evidence-oriented solutions that have demonstrated success in violence-plagued communities. These include programs that provide outreach to at-risk youth, counseling to vulnerable populations and interventions among repeat offenders.”

Star-Ledger: Booker bill seeks to curb gun violence in cities. “U.S. Sen. Cory Booker on Wednesday released legislation to provide federal grants to reduce gun violence in U.S. cities. Booker, who lives in an inner-city neighborhood in Newark, said the funds would go to communities to set programs designed to prevent gun violence, which have been proven to succeed. The funds would support programs such as providing counseling and other services to gunshot victims, who are more likely to retaliate with violence of their own, and offering social services and support to individuals in communities deemed at risk of resorting to violence.

Las Vegas Review Journal: Cory Booker, Steven Horsford to announce new anti-gun violence bill. “The bill would establish a grant program that would offer $65 million per year for 10 years in competitive grant funding for cities to create effective violence-prevention programs aimed specifically at helping young people most at risk for gun violence. Another $25 million per year for 10 years would be available for hospitals to treat at least 200 patients annually for gunshot or stabbing and to integrate hospital-based violence intervention programs.”

Endorsing Organizations:

Giffords: Courage to Prevent Gun Violence

National Black and Brown Gun Violence Prevention Consortium

• Advance Peace
• Chicago International Youth Peace Movement
• Chicago CRED
• Community Justice Reform Center
• Center for Policing Equity
• Dream Defenders
• First Degree Consulting
• Harvard T.C. Chan School of Public Health
• Institute for Nonviolence Chicago
• John Jay College of Criminal Justice
• Justice League NYC
• LIFE Camp, Inc.
• Live Free
• Live Free Chicago
• Man Up Inc.
• National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
• NYC Health

African American Mayors Association

Amnesty International

American Public Health Association

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Cure Violence

Health Alliance for Violence Intervention

National Network for Safe Communities

###