Gun Violence

Photo by Heather Mount

There are 393 million legally owned guns in the United States, more than the total population of our nation. Gun violence is a major public health crisis in the United States, especially for young people. Guns are now the leading cause of death for children and teenagers. Young people who live in urban areas are at even higher risk of being injured or killed by guns.

There have been at least 130 mass shootings in the United States so far in 2023, leaving more than 175 people dead and 475 injured, according to the Gun Violence Archive. And guns are the leading cause of deaths by suicide in the United States.

As our nation grapples with a gun violence epidemic, here are resources for social workers and supporters of the profession who want to address this problem:

Take Action

• Tell your lawmakers to Expand and Strengthen Brady Background Checks
• Brady campaign to prevent gun violence - NASW is a campaign partner
• School Safety Resources offers tools and ways to get involved

NASW Resources

• Violence in Schools: Prevention Is Key - Social Work Advocates, August / September 2018
• Tools for Social Workers to Prevent Gun Violence - NASW Social Justice Brief
• Gun Violence in the American Culture - NASW Social Justice Brief
• The Role of Racial Profiling in Encounters with Law Enforcement - NASW Social Justice Brief
• Reimagining Policing: Strategies for Community Reinvestment - NASW Social Justice Brief

Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events

• National Education Association (NEA) School Crisis Guide
  This step-by-step resource is designed to help school staff before, during, and after a crisis.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
  NCTSN resources can help parents and children deal with violent events and natural disasters.
• Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other News Events
  The American Academy of Pediatrics helps adults to filter information and to present it in a way that children can process.
• Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News
  Television news can be confusing for a young children. PBS Kids offers ways for adults to minimize children's stress.
• Incidents of Mass Violence
  Find disaster-related resources from SAMHSA.
• School Shooting Resources from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network