PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH

PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH-Step 1 Define the problem -How many deaths, injuries, violence related behaviors - Frequency -Trends - Who are the victims /perpetrators

SOURCES OF INFORMATION police reports, medical examiner files, vital records, hospital charts, registries, population-based surveys, crime laboratories and other sources.

STORAGE OF INFORMATION National Violence or Violent Death Reporting System Purpose of this system is prevention. This is accomplished by: informing decision makers and program planners about the magnitude, trends, and characteristics of violent deaths so appropriate prevention efforts can be put into place; and evaluating state-based prevention programs and strategies.

OBJECTIVES to link records on violent deaths that occurred in the same incident to help identify risk factors for multiple homicides or homicides-suicides; to provide timely preliminary information on violent deaths (e.g., basic counts of murders and suicides) through faster data retrieval-currently, vital statistics data are not available until two years after a death; to describe in detail the circumstances that may have contributed to a violent death; and to better characterize perpetrators, including their relationships to victim(s

PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH -STEP2 Identify Risk and Protective Factors -understand what factors protect people or put them at risk for experiencing or perpetrating violence. Why are risk and protective factors useful? They help identify where prevention efforts need to be focused.

STEP 2 CONT’D Risk factor is a characteristic that increases the likelihood of a person becoming a victim or perpetrator of violence A protective factor is any characteristic that decreases the likelihood of a person becoming a victim or perpetrator of violence because it provides a buffer against risk

PREVENTION FRAMEWORK Individual The first level identifies biological and personal history factors that increase the likelihood of becoming a victim or perpetrator of violence. Some of these factors are age, education, income, substance use, or history of abuse. Relationship The second level includes factors that increase risk because of relationships with peers, intimate partners, and family members. A person's closest social circle-peers, partners and family members-influences their behavior and contributes to their range of experience.

PREVENTION FRAMEWORK Cont’d Community The third level explores the settings, such as schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods, in which social relationships occur and seeks to identify the characteristics of these settings that are associated with becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. Societal The fourth level looks at the broad societal factors that help create a climate in which violence is encouraged or inhibited. These factors include social and cultural norms. Other large societal factors include the health, economic, educational and social policies that help to maintain economic or social inequalities between groups in society.

EXAMPLE CDC is funding a research project to examine the relationship between exposure to violent media, including videogames, and serious violent behavior such as assaults and injuries. Researchers are studying the specific aspects of media that increase the risk for violence. They are also identifying factors that protect youth from the effects of violent media and factors that make some youth more susceptible to media influences than others.

PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH-STEP3 Develop and Test Prevention Strategies Research data and findings from needs assessments, community surveys, stakeholder interviews, and focus groups are useful for designing prevention programs. Using these data and findings is known as an evidence-based approach to program planning. Once programs are implemented, they are evaluated rigorously to determine their effectiveness.

EXAMPLE CDC has developed and is testing a communication initiative for 6th- to 8th-grade students. Choose Respect is an initiative to help adolescents form healthy relationships to prevent dating abuse before it starts.

PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH-STEP 4 Assure Widespread Adoption Once prevention programs have been proven effective, they must be disseminated. Communities are encouraged to adapt programs to meet their own needs and to evaluate the program's success. Dissemination techniques to promote widespread adoption include training, networking, technical assistance, and process evaluation.

EXAMPLE In 2001, CDC launched the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center to prevent youth violence and suicide. The Resource Center includes a website, toll-free hotline, and fax-on-demand service. Users can request information about statistics, research, and prevention programs.

REFERENCE proachTo_ViolencePrevention.htm proachTo_ViolencePrevention.htm Ecological-Model_DVP.htm

JUSTICE GROUP COMMITMENTS

– Start a community policing program – Train community members about V gangs – Provide resources to families and communities – Organize positive community activities – Educate communities about the criminal justice system – Provide gang violence prevention education programs in schools Law Enforcement Can

COMMITMENTS Early detection and intervention into conflict Win back hearts and minds of youths Provide education that helps youths to identify and understand consequences Provide mentoring to youth Engage in more community activity to address issues

Commitments Improve and build strong restorative justice system Reach and work with children of the attempted coup Incorporate the public health approach and educate the public about it. Set examples for the rest of the society Monitor and evaluate programmes.