Presents current data on the nature of gun violence in the United States, profiles demonstrated and promising gun violence reduction strategies, and offers a blueprint for communities to develop their own comprehensive solutions to the problem of gun violence. Law enforcement and elected officials, prosecutors, judges, school administrators, community organizations, and other local stakeholders get information on: (1) ways to identify the elements of gun violence specific to a given community and tailor appropriate solutions; (2) gun violence reduction plans that have been successfully implemented in 8 diverse communities, including Buffalo, New York, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and Oakland, California; (3) programs that seek to limit access to the sources of illegal guns; (4) a range of innovative approaches to illegal gun possession and carrying; (5) programs aimed at curbing illegal gun use, including juvenile diversion programs and fast-tracking gun cases to a single docket for timely decisions; (6) education initiatives and alternative prevention strategies aimed at at-risk youth; and (7) research, technical assistance, and education programs that support the development and implementation of effective firearm violence reduction strategies. This toolbox approach is intended to inspire communities to take action and help them learn from each other’s successes.
