A “Vaccine” for Violence. December 2019

violence A “Vaccine” for Violence In a country rife with gun violence, Philadelphia still stands out. In the past month alone, 12 children have been shot—the youngest just 10 months old. Increasingly, Philadelphia treats gun violence like a contagion, with several programs to prove it—including a branch of Cure Violence Global at Temple University. What does that mean in practice?  Prevention—not with vaccines—but with community outreach aimed at de-escalating disputes. Identifying risk factors—like poverty and inadequate education—the same way high blood pressure points to heart disease. Deploying point people with close community ties.  All that, plus a heavy dose of patience. The Philadelphia Inquirer