Gun Violence Case Study

The behaviors of most people are often influenced by media (television, radio and newspapers), social marketing (advertisements) and community organizing (community events). Gun violence permeates the news, popular television shows, movies, advertisements as well as the toy industry. Through these media channels children are influenced to use guns and are taught to believe that it is natural to have a gun in the home. In an effort to decrease gun violence it is the intention of the writer to implement a community health intervention program combining the media advocacy, social marketing and community organization. The proposed community health intervention will center on the youth in the community and be an amalgam of social marketing, community organization and media advocacy strategies. The first step to implementing such a program would be to make the adult members of the community
Using a community organization approach those individuals who have completed the program will host a monthly seminar targeted towards youth in the community. Flyers advertising this event will be posted around the neighborhood and in schools (social marketing). Those who have completed the six week program will also be featured in the public service announcements and talk about their experience meeting with victims of violence and perpetrators. Also at the end of the course youth will enter into a mentor program where they work closely with younger children in their neighborhood. They will be encouraged to spend time with their mentees and talk about the effects of gun violence and effective, alternative ways to deal with violence in the neighborhood. Hopefully this program will reduce the use of guns in the community as well as foster communication between adults and youth in the