Showing papers by "Daniel W. Webster published in 2014"

News Media Framing of Serious Mental Illness and Gun Violence in the United States, 1997-2012

Abstract: Recent mass shootings by persons seemingly afflicted with serious mental illness (SMI) have received extensive news media coverage and prompted national dialogue about the causes of, and policy responses to, mass shootings. News media framing of SMI as a cause of gun violence may influence public attitudes about persons with SMI and support for gun violence prevention proposals. We analyzed the content of a 25% random sample of news stories on SMI and gun violence published in 14 national and regional news sources from 1997 to 2012. Across the study period, most news coverage occurred in the wake of mass shootings, and “dangerous people” with SMI were more likely than “dangerous weapons” to be mentioned as a cause of gun violence.

Effects of the Repeal of Missouri’s Handgun Purchaser Licensing Law on Homicides

Abstract: In the USA, homicide is a leading cause of death for young males and a major cause of racial disparities in life expectancy for men. There are intense debate and little rigorous research on the effects of firearm sales regulation on homicides. This study estimates the impact of Missouri's 2007 repeal of its permit-to-purchase (PTP) handgun law on states' homicide rates and controls for changes in poverty, unemployment, crime, incarceration, policing levels, and other policies that could potentially affect homicides. Using death certificate data available through 2010, the repeal of Missouri's PTP law was associated with an increase in annual firearm homicides rates of 1.09 per 100,000 (+23 %) but was unrelated to changes in non- firearm homicide rates. Using Uniform Crime Reporting data from police through 2012, the law's repeal was associated with increased annual murders rates of 0.93 per 100,000 (+16 %). These estimated effects translate to increases of between 55 and 63 homicides per year in Missouri.

Interrupting Violence: How the CeaseFire Program Prevents Imminent Gun Violence through Conflict Mediation

Abstract: Cities are increasingly adopting CeaseFire, an evidence-based public health program that uses specialized outreach workers, called violence interrupters (VIs), to mediate potentially violent conflicts before they lead to a shooting. Prior research has linked conflict mediation with program-related reductions in homicides, but the specific conflict mediation practices used by effective programs to prevent imminent gun violence have not been identified. We conducted case studies of CeaseFire programs in two inner cities using qualitative data from focus groups with 24 VIs and interviews with eight program managers. Study sites were purposively sampled to represent programs with more than 1 year of implementation and evidence of program effectiveness. Staff with more than 6 months of job experience were recruited for participation. Successful mediation efforts were built on trust and respect between VIs and the community, especially high-risk individuals. In conflict mediation, immediate priorities included separating the potential shooter from the intended victim and from peers who may encourage violence, followed by persuading the parties to resolve the conflict peacefully. Tactics for brokering peace included arranging the return of stolen property and emphasizing negative consequences of violence such as jail, death, or increased police attention. Utilizing these approaches, VIs are capable of preventing gun violence and interrupting cycles of retaliation.

Using research evidence to reframe the policy debate around mental illness and guns: process and recommendations.

Abstract: Recent mass shootings have prompted a national dialogue around mental illness and gun policy. To advance an evidence-informed policy agenda on this controversial issue, we formed a consortium of national gun violence prevention and mental health experts. The consortium agreed on a guiding principle for future policy recommendations: restricting firearm access on the basis of certain dangerous behaviors is supported by the evidence; restricting access on the basis of mental illness diagnoses is not. We describe the group’s process and recommendations.

Gun Policy and Serious Mental Illness: Priorities for Future Research and Policy

Abstract: Policies to restrict access to firearms among persons with serious mental illness are popular, but are they supported by evidence? As this literature review demonstrates, some things are clear: most persons with serious mental illness are not violent; risk assessment tools are not reliable at predicting who will be violent; and persons with serious mental illness and a history of substance use and abuse or trauma are more likely to be violent. More research is needed to develop thoughtful gun restriction policies that do not further stigmatize mental illness, the authors said.

Identifying Armed Respondents to Domestic Violence Restraining Orders and Recovering Their Firearms: Process Evaluation of an Initiative in California

Abstract: Objectives. We evaluated a law enforcement initiative to screen respondents to domestic violence restraining orders for firearm ownership or possession and recover their firearms. Methods. The initiative was implemented in San Mateo and Butte counties in California from 2007 through 2010. We used descriptive methods to evaluate the screening process and recovery effort in each county, relying on records for individual cases. Results. Screening relied on an archive of firearm transactions, court records, and petitioner interviews; no single source was adequate. Screening linked 525 respondents (17.7%) in San Mateo County to firearms; 405 firearms were recovered from 119 (22.7%) of them. In Butte County, 88 (31.1%) respondents were linked to firearms; 260 firearms were recovered from 45 (51.1%) of them. Nonrecovery occurred most often when orders were never served or respondents denied having firearms. There were no reports of serious violence or injury. Conclusions. Recovering firearms from persons subject to domestic violence restraining orders is possible. We have identified design and implementation changes that may improve the screening process and the yield from recovery efforts. Larger implementation trials are needed. (Am J Public Health. 2014;104: e113‐e118. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301484)

Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: A Comparison of Foreign- Versus US-Born Physically Abused Latinas

Abstract: Men’s violence against women—particularly intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV)—is associated with the transmission of HIV. Men who physically abuse their female intimate partners often also sexually abuse them. Latinas are one of the fastest growing populations in the USA and at high-risk for contracting HIV, though little is known about IPSV against physically abused Latinas, including whether there is an association between nativity of the victim and the likelihood of sexual violence by intimate partners. This study examined the (1) prevalence of recent (past 6 months) IPSV against 555 physically abused, help-seeking Latinas and (2) relationship of nativity to recent IPSV. This study used data collected in 2002–2003 from participants in one major city on the East Coast and one West Coast county, who were involved in the Risk Assessment Validation (RAVE) Study. The RAVE Study assessed the accuracy of four different methods for predicting risk of future intimate partner violence. IPSV was defined as an abusive male partner physically forcing sex (rape) or making the woman have sex without a condom. Recent IPSV was reported by 38 % of the sample. Among those reporting recent IPSV, multiple assaults were common: 30 % of women were raped and 51 % were made to have unprotected sex six or more times during the past 6 months. IPSV was significantly associated with nativity. Physically abused Latinas who were foreign born had two times greater odds of reporting recent IPSV than physically abused Latinas born in the USA, after controlling for other demographic covariates. Exploratory post hoc analyses examining all pairwise comparisons of IPSV against Latinas born in the USA, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean also revealed some significant differences that warrant further study with larger samples. HIV prevention efforts aimed at reducing IPSV in this population are needed.

Erratum to: Effects of the Repeal of Missouri’s Handgun Purchaser Licensing Law on Homicides

Abstract: Erratum to: J Urban Health DOI 10.1007/s11524-014-9865-8 The authors would like to publish this erratum to correct estimates generated from regression analyses due to errors identified in the data for certain covariates used in those analyses. The authors apologize that they did not identify the errors prior to publication. The corrected data presented below are very similar to, but are more accurate than, the findings previously published. ABSTRACT 1. The fourth and fifth sentences should be deleted and replaced with, “Using death certificate data available through 2010, the repeal of Missouri’s PTP laws was associated with an increase in the annual firearm homicide rates of 1.18 per 100,000 (+25 %) representing 68 additional firearm homicides annually, but was unrelated to changes in non-firearm homicide rates. Using Uniform Crime Reports data from police available through 2012, the law’s repeal was associated with increased annual murder rates of 0.81 per 100,000 (+14 %) representing 49 additional murders per year.” 2. The last sentence should be deleted. (The corrected data from the prior sentence are integrated into the corrected sentences above.) RESULTS 1. Table 2 should be deleted and replaced with corrected Table 2 below. 2. The last sentence of the third paragraph should be deleted and replaced with, “After controlling for changes in rates of unemployment, poverty, burglary, incarceration, and law enforcement officers along with other state laws, the estimated increase in annual firearm homicide rates associated with the repeal of Missouri’s PTP handgun law was 1.18 per 100,000 population per year (p 3. The last sentence of the 4th paragraph should read, “Regression analyses indicated that Missouri’s repeal of its PTP handgun law was associated with no change in the age-adjusted non-firearm homicide rate (β = −0.07, p = .468, 95 % CI −0.27 to 0.12) and an increase in annual homicide rates for all methods of 1.08 (Table 2, p 4. The last sentence of the 5th paragraph should read, “A model which only controlled for state- and year fixed effects estimated a 1.34 increase in annual murder rates through the end of 2012 associated with the repeal of the PTP handgun law (β = 1.34, p = .001, 95 % CI 0.58 to 2.11); however, the estimated effect of the policy change was reduced to an increase of 0.81 murders per 100,000 per year after all covariates were included in the model (Table 2, β = 0.81, p = .004, 95 % CI 0.26 to 1.35), a 14 % increase relative to the counterfactual.” 5. The second sentence of the 6th paragraph should read, “New unsafe handgun bans adopted in California and Massachusetts were associated with an increase in firearm, non-firearm, and total homicide rates (β = 0.28, p = .014, 95 % CI 0.06 to 0.50; β = 0.19, p = .007, 95 % CI 0.05 to 0.32; β = 0.46, p = .008, 95 % CI 0.13 to 0.70).” 6. Supplemental Tables 1–4 should be replaced with the corrected Supplemental Tables below. DISCUSSION 1. The last sentence of the first paragraph should read, “Our estimates suggest that the repeal of the law was associated with an additional 68 firearm homicides per year in Missouri between 2008 and 2010 and 49 additional murders per year between 2008 and 2012 than the forecasted counterfactual.” Language: en