Gun violence

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This special collection brings together evidence and insights from nonprofits, foundations, and research organizations working to understand the full impact of firearm use and gun violence in the US. By providing us with analyses of current state and federal laws as well as valuable data on suicides, homicides, accidents, and mass shootings, these organizations seek to inform sound public policy and to curb this ongoing public health epidemic.

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The National Cost of Gun Violence: The Price Tag for Taxpayers

February 27, 2023

NICJR has calculated the costs of shootings in numerous cities across the country, deliberately using conservative estimates and only counting documentable direct costs. Using these studies as a starting point, this report aggregates the city-specific data and combines it with other data sources to model the direct unit costs and the direct average costs of gun violence nationwide.Unit costs reflect all of the potential costs of a single incident of gun violence, while average costs take into account the fact that certain costs are not incurred for every incident. For example, this report estimates the costs that gun violence imposes on the courts, district attorney, and public defender when a suspect is charged and goes to trial. However, because many incidents of gun violence do not result in prosecution or a trial, these estimates, or unit costs, are deflated to calculate the average cost per shooting.

Detroit, Michigan, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

October 5, 2023

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) was commissioned by the Public Welfare Foundation to conduct this detailed analysis that documents the government expenses accompanying every fatal or non-fatal shooting in Detroit. In tracking the direct costs per shooting incident, NICJR has deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. This study does not include the loss-of-production costs when the victim or suspect were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $1–2 million for each shooting incident. This means that the calculated cost of $1,719,087 for a fatal shooting in Detroit is a conservative estimate; the real cost is likely even higher.

Oakland, California, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

September 28, 2023

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) has conducted this detailed analysis that documents the government expenses accompanying every fatal and non-fatal shooting in Oakland. In tracking the direct costs per shooting incident, NICJR has deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. This study does not include the loss-of-production costs when the victim or suspect were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $1–2 million for each shooting incident. This means that the calculated cost of $3,191,722 for a fatal shooting in Oakland is a conservative estimate; the real cost is likely even higher.

Newark, New Jersey, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

June 2, 2023

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) conducted this detailed analysis that documents the government expenses accompanying every injury shooting in Newark. In tracking the direct costs per shooting incident, NICJR has deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. This study does not include the loss-of-production costs when the victim or suspect were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $1-2 million for each shooting incident. This means that the calculated cost of $2,188,700 for a homicide in Newark is a conservative estimate; the real cost is likely even higher.

Baltimore, Maryland, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

June 2, 2023

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) has conducted this Cost of Gun Violence study that documents the government expenses accompanying every injury shooting in Baltimore. In tracking the direct costs per shooting incident, NICJR has deliberately used the low to mid end of the range for each expense. This study does not include the loss-of-production costs when the victim or suspect were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $1-2 million for each shooting incident. This means that NICJR's calculated cost of $2,427,333 for a homicide in Baltimore is a conservative estimate; the real cost is likely even higher.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

June 2, 2023

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) conducted this detailed analysis that documents the government expenses accompanying every injury shooting or homicide in Baton Rouge. In tracking the direct costs per shooting incident, NICJR has deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. This study does not include the loss-of-production costs when the victim or suspect were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $1-2 million for each shooting incident. This means that the calculated cost of $1,456,982 for a homicide in Baton Rouge is a conservative estimate; the real cost is likely even higher.

Youth Data & Intervention Initiative: Identifying and Intervening with Youth at Risk for Gun Violence

October 7, 2022

With support from the Walmart Foundation through the Walmart.org Center for RacialEquity, NICJR will launch a Youth Data and Intervention Initiative (YDII) in NOVPNmember cities. YDII is a research, data tracking, and intensive intervention initiative thatseeks to prevent youth in their early teens from becoming involved in gun violence bythe time they reach young adulthood.Utilizing interviews and data from law enforcement, probation and parole, and community-based organizations, NICJR has conducted detailed analyses of gun violence in several cities throughout the country. Although youth account for only a smallproportion of the population involved in nonfatal injury shootings and homicides, YDIIis based on the premise that risk factors for gun violence were likely already presentduring the pre-teen and adolescent years. If specific experiences and measurablecharacteristics can predict who will become a victim or suspect in a shooting later in life,these data can be used to guide intervention strategies to prevent the violence.

Effective Community Based Violence Reduction Strategies

September 1, 2022

Gun violence has been an intractable problem for decades with sometimes unexplainable rises and falls in the rates of shootings in cities across the country. Violence is often concentrated in low-income neighborhoods, with Blacks and Latinos disproportionately experiencing the impacts. These neighborhoods experience a complex array of challenges, from high rates of poverty and incarceration to poor quality education and a lack of trust in government institutions. The effects of exposure to violence are widespread, affecting the health and development of not only those directly involved but also of their families and communities. Even for those not directly impacted by gun violence, the enormous financial costs affect all taxpayers.There have been a small number of effective gun violence reduction strategies that are highlighted in this report. When implemented with fidelity, these interventions have been successful at reducing violence, with many initiatives showing improvements in the first six to twelve months of implementation.

Sacramento, California, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

June 30, 2022

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) was commissioned by the Sierra Health Foundation to conduct a detailed analysis and publish this Cost of Gun Violence study that documents the detailed government expenses that accompany every injury shooting in the city. NICJR tracked the direct costs of each shooting and has deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. Additionally, not included in this study are the loss of production costs when the victim(s) or suspect(s) were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $2 million for each shooting incident. Therefore, the calculated per homicide shooting cost of $2.9 million in Sacramento is a safe estimate; the real cost is likely even higher.

Gun Violence Assessment Atlanta, Georgia: Assessment of Homicides and Nonfatal Shootings, January 1, 2021-December 31, 2021

June 10, 2022

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) assessed publicly available data sources to develop the following report on homicides and nonfatal shootings in Atlanta, GA between January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. Though the data is incomplete, valuable assessments and conclusions can be drawn from the large sample of data that is available. During the period of January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, the City experienced 158 homicides and 392 nonfatal shootings. An interactive map showing the location and available characteristics of all 158 homicides was prepared by NICJR.This analysis is particularly important because of the large spike in violence that Atlanta and other cities have experienced amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Atlanta tallied 157 homicides, with the City recording 158 homicides in 2021. The homicide rate in Atlanta in 2021 was 31.7 per 100,000 and reflected the highest number of homicides in the City's history dating back to 1997. When comparing the 2010 homicide rate with the 2020 homicide rate, there is a staggering 58.3 percent increase. Even when juxtaposing the 2019 homicide rate with the 2020 homicide rate, there was a large increase of 62.6 percent. Recent Atlanta Police Department statistics from January 1, 2022 to March 12, 2022 illustrate there was a 34.8 percent increase in homicides when assessing the same period in 2021.

Washington, DC, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

April 28, 2022

In order to closely estimate the government price tag for shootings and homicides, Peace for DC commissioned the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) to conduct this Cost of Gun Violence study. NICJR quantified the direct costs of shootings and deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. Of note, NICJR did not attempt to quantify the loss of production costs when the victim(s) or suspect(s) were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $1-2 million for each shooting incident. Therefore, the calculated per homicide shooting cost of $1.5 million in the District is a safe estimate, the real cost is likely even higher.

Fresno, California, The Cost of Gun Violence: The Direct Cost to Tax Payers

April 22, 2022

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) received funding from The California Wellness Foundation, which has invested in violence prevention efforts in Fresno, to conduct a detailed analysis and publish this Cost of Gun Violence study documenting the detailed government expenses that accompany every injury shooting in the City. NICJR tracked the direct costs of each shooting and has deliberately used the low end of the range for each expense. Additionally, not included in this study are the loss of production costs when the victim(s) or suspect(s) were working at the time of the incident. Nationally, those costs have been estimated at an additional $2 million for each shooting incident. Therefore, the calculated per homicide cost of $3.0 million in Fresno is a safe estimate, the real cost is likely even higher.