Policing Gun Violence: Strategic Reforms for Controlling Our Most Pressing Crime Problem

In many U.S. cities, gun violence is the most urgent crime problem. High rates of deadly violence make a city less livable, dragging down quality of life, economic development, and property values. The police are the primary agency tasked with controlling gun violence, yet advocates for gun violence prevention either ignore the police or only reference them as a part of the problem. But in fact, more effective policing is key to the success of any comprehensive effort to reduce community gun violence.

The stakes are high--gun violence is concentrated in low-income Black communities, and consequently these communities bear the brunt of the associated economic, social, and psychological burdens. Any successful strategy must overcome the current impasse where the residents of high-violence neighborhoods do not trust the police, having experienced both abuse and neglect in their dealings with officers. How can police departments find the right balance between over- and under-policing of high-violence areas? What are the best practices for police to preempt and deter gun violence, while engendering support and cooperation from the public?

Drawing on fifty years of research and practical experience, Policing Gun Violence argues that it is possible for the police to create greater public safety while respecting the rights of individuals and communities. While gun violence can be attributed to various systemic causes that should remain on the public agenda--from widespread gun availability to poverty and racism--Anthony A. Braga and Philip J. Cook make the case that violence is itself a root cause of social disparity and future violence. Effective law enforcement is a vital component of a just society. They review and synthesize the evidence in several key areas: enforcement of gun laws, policing hot spots, controlling high-risk groups through focused deterrence, enhancing investigations to increase the arrest and conviction rate, preventing officer-involved shootings, and disrupting underground gun markets. Policing Gun Violence serves as a guide to how the police can better utilize their considerable resources to make cities safer.

Anthony A. Braga is the Jerry Lee Professor of Criminology and the Director of the Crime and Justice Policy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on fairness and effectiveness in policing. Braga is a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology and the recipient of its August Vollmer Award recognizing outstanding contributions to the field of criminal justice. He has also received multiple awards from practitioner organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Award and the U.S. Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Community Partnerships and Public Safety.

Philip J. Cook is Sanford Professor Emeritus of Public Policy and Professor Emeritus of Economics at Duke University. He is one of the first scholars to undertake research on gun violence prevention. In 2020, his contributions in this area were recognized by the award of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology. Other honors include election to the National Academy of Medicine (2001) and as Fellow of the American Society of Criminology. He has made substantial research contributions to criminal justice policy, alcohol control policy, commercial gambling, and the causes of income inequality, as well as evaluation methods. He has consulted with several federal law enforcement agencies.