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University of Michigan researchers in disciplines ranging from the social sciences and the arts to engineering and public health are working together to formulate and answer critical questions about firearm injury prevention. Our teams’ collaborative efforts have placed U-M at the forefront of firearm injury prevention research.
Media Inquiries
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Anonymous school tip lines reveal patterns in threats, mental health concerns among youth, study finds
Anonymous school safety tip lines are providing critical insights into when young people report threats of violence and mental health concerns, according to a new study. Led by researchers at the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, their analysis found that tips related to potential school attacks, interpersonal violence and mental […]
Application of Florida ‘extreme risk’ firearm law varies widely across counties, study finds
A Florida law designed to prevent gun violence by temporarily removing firearms from people at risk of harming themselves or others is used unevenly across the state, according to a new study. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, examined nearly four years of data to assess trends in use and variation […]
Media Mention: What Will It Take to Prevent School Shootings?
Metal detectors, bulletproof chalkboards, pepper-ball-spraying drones — in our desperation to protect children, we’re turning our schools into fortresses. Columbia researchers are now leading a nationwide investigation to see if these tactics actually work. Read the full Spring/Summer 2026 Magazine feature, which mentions U-M’s work in this space.
Media Mention: Toledo libraries offering free gun locks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional injury is the fourth-leading cause of death in children below the age of 1, and it’s the top cause of death in those ages 1-17 years old. Firearms are a leading injury method. The CDC also states: 83% of unintentional firearm injury deaths occurred among boys […]
Media Mention: Louisiana Shooting
Another deadly shooting has torn apart another American community. In Shreveport, Louisiana, a man shot and killed eight children and left two other adults gravely wounded. The killer was reportedly the father of seven of the eight children he shot. William Brangham discussed the tragedy and the broader issue of gun violence with April Zeoli. […]
Media Mention: Family-Led Firearm Strategy Goes ‘Beyond the Screen’ to Curb Suicide Risk
A family-centered approach to firearm safety can change how guns are kept in homes and may offer a new path to reducing suicide risk. A new University of Michigan study, published in Injury Prevention, tested a method called the Family Safety Net in Alaska, which shifts suicide prevention away from individual screening and toward household action. […]
Media Mention: What happens when schools restrict phones? U-M Youth Policy Lab convenes national conference as new studies get underway
On April 10, the University of Michigan’s Youth Policy Lab (YPL) convened a National School Cell Phone Policy Conference, inviting researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from Michigan and beyond to compare notes on a rapidly changing school policy environment. Research has found that the vast majority of middle and high school students use cell phones during the school […]
Media Mention: Genesee County Land Bank kicks off Clean & Green program for 2026
FLINT, Mich. (WJRT) – The Genesee County Land Bank Authority is launching the 22nd year of its Clean & Green program, which engages community groups to combat blight across Flint. The program runs from April through September with 70 community groups committed to maintaining more than 3,400 vacant properties around the city. An official kickoff […]
We collected data on how 779 Michigan school districts are regulating student cellphones − here are the trends
What is the best way to handle cellphones in schools? That’s a question Michigan educators are grappling with this spring after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a ban on smartphone use in Michigan schools. The law goes into effect in the school year that begins in August 2026. It requires public and charter K-12 schools to […]
Media Mention: When Parents Pay for a Child’s Violence
The father of a school shooter was convicted of murder. What is lost and gained by the new precedent? Dr. Justin Heinze speaks with Christianity Today about youth violence prevention and how new laws and policies around secure storage might have an effect on raising awareness around youth firearm access. Read the full article on […]
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