Addressing the Complexity of Illegal Gun Possession for Participants in Gun Diversion Programs

Bibliographic Data

ID2501715
AuthorsMatthew W Epperson (0000-0002-0715-0162, University of Chicago, corresponding author), Alexa Cinque (Apple (Israel)), Hannah Lee (0000-0001-5944-6654, University of Chicago)
Year2024
Volume24
Issue1
Pages27-47
Publication date2024-07-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAdvances in Social Work (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1527-8565 • E-ISSN: 2331-4125
PublisherIUPUI University Library (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.18060/27398
OpenAlexW4400770213
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited13

Incarceration-based approaches to illegal gun possession have not proven effective at reducing gun violence, and they have created dramatic racial disparities. Within this context, a small number of jurisdictions have developed prosecutor-led gun diversion programs (PLGDPs), which offer diversion from prosecution and an opportunity to engage in community-based services with a common goal of reducing illegal gun possession. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that contribute to illegal gun possession among PLGDP participants, and the extent to which PLGDP programming addresses these complex factors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 PLGDP stakeholders (8 PLGDP participants, 15 prosecutors, and 9 service providers), and qualitative analyses identified themes related to illegal gun possession and PLGDP programming connections and disconnections. Findings indicate that safety concerns related to structural issues of community violence are a primary factor driving gun possession among PLGDP participants. While PLGDPs were viewed as having some benefits, disconnects in PLGDP programming centered on assumptions made about the target population and the limitations of individual-level interventions to curb gun violence. If PLGDPs are to have an impact on gun violence, trauma-focused approaches must be incorporated, and efforts should be made to better understand and address environmental factors

Business · Computer security · Criminology · Environmental health · Geography · Gun violence · Medical emergency · Poison control · Political science · Population · Public relations · Suicide prevention · Computer Science · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Medicine · Psychology

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