Reducing Firearm Violence: A Research Agenda

Weiner, J., Wiebe, D. J., Richmond, T. S., Beam, K., Berman, A. L., Branas, C. C., Cheney, R.A., Coyne-Beasley, T., Firman, J., Fishbein, M., Hargarten, S., Hemenway, D., Jeffcoat, R., Kennedy, D., Koper, C.S., Lemaire, J., Miller, M., Roth, J.A., Schwab, C.W., Spitzer, R., Teret, S., Vernick, J. & Webster, D. (2007). Reducing firearm violence: a research agendaInjury Prevention13(2), 80-84.

In the United States, firearms are involved in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries each year. The magnitude of this problem prompted the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to issue a report in 2004 detailing the strengths and limitations of existing research on the relationship between firearms and violence. In response, a multidisciplinary group of experts in the field of firearms and violence formed the National Research Collaborative on Firearm Violence. The Collaborative met for 2 days in June 2005 to (1) critically review the main findings of the NAS report and (2) define a research agenda that could fill research and data gaps and inform policy that reduces gun-related crime, deaths and injuries. This article summarizes the Collaborative’s conclusions and identifies priorities for research and funding.