Oral

On December 14, 2012, 150 gunshots echoed across America, as one gunman claimed the lives of 20 first grade children and 6 adults in Newtown, CT. The human tragedy at Sandy Hook cried out for a national dialogue to promote safety through America, and the world. While the Sandy Hook incident is tragic, violence such as this occcurs every day in urban America. Violence is a global public health problem. Violence is preventable. A concerted effort to prevent violence in America will dramatically cut the number of homicides nationwide. Strong, evidence-based initiatives on how to prevent shootings and fatalities are needed. Initiatives to prevent violence are more effective and sustainable when they are grounded in comprehensive strategies. More than 1.6 million people worldwide lost their lives to violence in 2000 , 520,000 being homicides (8.8/100,000). Guns in America cause the death of 12 young people each day. The overall firearm-related death rate among children <15 is nearly 12 times higher than among children in 25 other industrialized countries combined , , . In 2008, when the United States experienced over 12,000 gun-related homicides, Japan had only 11, or fewer than half as many killed in Newtown, CT. America has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world – an average of 88.8/100 people , nearly one gun for every American, with 60% of U.S. homicides occurring using a firearm, the 26th highest rate in the world. Violence exacts a human and an economic toll on nations, costing economies billions of US dollars each year in health care, legal costs, and lost business and productivity. Sandy Hook compelled America to have a national discussion on gun safety and community safety. To continue this national dialogue, panelists will discuss how to analyze the problem, the causes, and the solutions.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify the causes, the Social Determinants of Health, of violence. 2. Define the solutions to violence. 3. Define the primary, secondary and tertiary preventative solutions to violence. 4. Discuss the US President's response to gun violence in America.