Research & Scholarship
Prevent Gun Violence: Research, Empowerment, Strategies & Solutions (PROGRESS)
The PROGRESS initiative at the University of Maryland is committed to advancing research and scholarship that address firearm violence. By leveraging interdisciplinary approaches and community-based methods, PROGRESS discovers and implements actionable insights and solutions to reduce gun violence.
Below are descriptions of selected research projects conducted and/or supported by PROGRESS, as well as PROGRESS-related courses available to UMD students. Although not comprehensive, the examples highlight the initiative’s diverse efforts and focus areas. For more information about PROGRESS research and scholarship, please contact PROGRESS@umd.edu.
Ongoing Research Projects
This thesis research examines the relationship between exposure to violence and perceived cognitive difficulties among high school students utilizing data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Funded through an MPower grant, this effort aims to analyze police data and shock trauma data in Baltimore to integrate public health and public safety knowledge and better understand the overlap between gun violence victims and offenders. The purpose of the research is to better understand trends and community perceptions of gun violence by using a collaborative, community-based approach to identify modifiable risk factors for violence prevention.
PROGRESS is conducting an assessment study on the effectiveness of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) street outreach programs. Funded by Arnold Ventures, the study carries out in-depth interviews with Community Violence Interrupters, participants, and site directors/program managers with the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in Washington, DC.
Funded by New Ventures Fund and in collaboration with Elinore Kaufman (University of Pennsylvania) and Dr. Desmond Patton (University of Pennsylvania), this project uses a qualitative research methods approach (e.g., interviews and focus groups) with community violence intervention (CVI) program staff and violently injured patients treated at the University of Pennsylvania hospital to understand the relationship between social media and violence in Philadelphia.
This project documents the stories of women in Baltimore who are survivors of gun violence, focusing on their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the Abell Foundation, this effort seeks to facilitate a community of peer support and elevate the voices of women impacted by gun violence.
Course Offerings
Course Instructor: Dr. Joseph Richardson
Description: Gun violence is the leading cause of death and disability among African-American children and adult men between the ages of 15-44. Structural violence conceptualizes the ways social structures, institutions and systems are complicit in the harm of specific populations (e.g., shortened life expectancy among African Americans). These harms are often preventable. Structural and interpersonal violence, specifically community firearm violence, impacts the physical, psychological, social and emotional well-being, and quality of life of African-Americans, a demographic disproportionately impacted by the harms caused by structural and interpersonal violence. Using an interdisciplinary, structural justice and anti-racist approach this course examines the intersection of structural violence, interpersonal violence and trauma in African-American communities impacted by gun violence.
Link to Course Catalog: AASP499U
Description: This course examines the formulation, implementation and evaluation of health policy. Health care policies determine who receives health benefits, what type of care is available, who administers care, how frequently care is provided, and how much care will cost. These policy decisions are critical in influencing the health and well-being of our society. The course also explores the complexities and challenges facing the American healthcare system. Students will formulate a policy brief and conduct an impact analysis to better understand the potential benefits and costs of health policies addressing issues such as gun violence prevention, child health, health reform, infant mortality, teen pregnancy, smoking cessation or injury prevention.
Link to Course Catalog: FGSM320/HNUH328T
Course Instructor: Dr. Joseph Richardson
Description: Supervised research activity within the African American Studies Department. This course is for both majors and non-majors who seek to work for a faculty member on their research project(s) and/or work in their research lab as a Research Assistant (RA). The purpose of this course is to expose undergraduate students to theories and methods used to understand the lives and experiences of Black people across the diaspora via hands-on/applied research experience. A faculty member must agree to supervise your research activity before students can enroll for course credit.
Link to Course Catalog: AASP479