Issuu

RUTGERS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 683 HOES LANE WEST PISCATAWAY, NJ 08854 732-470-0438

NJGVRC

@NJGVRC

https://bit.ly/3vorxyh

HTTPS://GUNVIOLENCERESEARCHCENTER.RUTGERS.EDU/

This progress report aims to summarize GVRC research, publications, active externally funded grants, research projects funded by the GVRC, community outreach projects and partnerships, and communications conducted by the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center (GVRC) during FY22. The GVRC's mission is to conduct and fund cutting-edge scientific research on gun violence prevention and serve as a voice to make scientific information available to all communities impacted by gun violence. Our plan is to focus on all aspects of gun violence, specifically firearm suicide and interpersonal gun violence. The GVRC is committed to combating racial disparities that leave marginalized communities shouldering a disproportionate burden of interpersonal gun violence and we plan to partner with groups like our service and community members heavily impacted by gun violence.

PAGE 2

a year's overview

MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP Michael Anestis, PhD The New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center (GVRC) strives to be a center for excellence in research on gun violence that will contribute to safer and healthier communities. We endeavor to achieve this through multidisciplinary research on gun violence, with an emphasis on translating the science into clear and actionable policies and effective programs—in a real-world context— to ensure widespread adoption. To that end, a huge part of our vision is the communication of science to communities that would most benefit from this information by initiating conversations that are grounded in data but also speak from a variety of perspectives in hope of reaching a broader audience. Although our focus is on research, training and education, and outreach, we continue to capitalize on the existing strengths of local, state, and national agencies, and on Rutgers’ ongoing collaborative relationships with external organizations. With this collaborative effort, the GVRC helps to facilitate data linkage that advances gun research throughout the state, while producing and supporting original research on gun violence. During FY22, we published a number of peer reviewed scientific articles, secured several large federally funded grants, presented our findings to community and academic audiences across the country, expanded our free library of online information about gun violence, and hosted a variety of online events focused on a range of gun-violence related topics. Our efforts included training a postdoctoral fellow, four doctoral students, and a large number of eager graduate and undergraduate interns. In May 2022, we hosted our first annual GVRC Student Day and GVRC Research Day, with Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, Governor Phil Murphy, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman providing opening remarks for the event, which featured presentations from the many scientists whose gun violence research we funded this past year. In the coming year, we anticipate expanding the scope of our work and the size of our team, reaching as much of New Jersey as possible, and ensuring that our work provides meaningful progress in our understanding of the causes of and solutions for gun violence. We aim to be a resource for the people of New Jersey and a meaningful piece in the effort to prevent gun violence.

Sincerely,

GVRC Executive Director, Michael Anestis, Ph.D.

GVRC Assistant Director, R. Thurman Barnes, JD, MDiv

R.Thurman Barnes, JD, MDiv

Table of Contents 5-11 12-24 25-32 33-61 62-66 67

Firearm-Related Publications

GVRC research papers that were published in national accredited publications.

Research Projects

Active and ongoing GVRC research projects.

Active Externally Funded Grants

GVRC funded gun-related research projects with scholars, community members, community organizations, healthcare leaders, and alike.

Channels of Communications and Analytics An outline of all the GVRC interviews, podcasts, social media, conferences, events, and more.

Press Release and Annoucements Listed are all of the Rutgers Today GVRC interviews, Q&A, and announcements.

Community Engagement GVRC interFatih Affiliates program.

The NJGVRC works in collaboration with and is supported by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE).

PAGE 2

PA PA GG E E2 5

PAGE 6

In this study, we examined a sample of 408 male firearm owners oversampled for prior thoughts of suicide. We found that over 40% of firearm owners in the sample endorsed at least occasionally storing firearms in their vehicles, with 15% reporting that firearms in their vehicles are stored unlocked and loaded. Those who stored firearms in their vehicles endorsed elevated scores on worry, negative affect, intolerance of uncertainty, and prior suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Given the increase in firearm thefts from vehicles in recent years, this highlights potential prompters of this risky behavior.

PAGE 7

PAGE 8

PA PA GG E E4 9

PPAAGGEE 41 0

Gun Ownership

PPAAGGEE 41 1

PPAAGGEE 122

Year II of Multistate Survey

PPAAGGEE 123

Year II of Trauma Center Project

PPAAGGEE 124

Illicit Firearm Ownership in New Jersey

PPAAGGEE 125

Community Perceptions of Gun Violence in New Jersey

PPAAGGEE 126

Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) Survey

PPAAGGEE 127

PPAAGGEE 128

PPAAGGEE 129

PPAAGGEE 220

PPAAGGEE 221

PPAAGGEE 222

PPAAGGEE 223

PPAAGGEE 224

PPAAGGEE 225

PPAAGGEE 226

PPAAGGEE 227

PPAAGGEE 228

PPAAGGEE 229

PPAAGGEE 320

PPAAGGEE 321

PPAAGGEE 322

PPAAGGEE 323

VRC WEBSITE ANALYTICS

These pie charts showcase the monthly website new visitors vs. returning visitors from July 2020 to June 2021 versus July 2021 to June 2022. The majority of GVRC visitors are from the United States.

Jul 1, 2020 - Jun 30, 2021

Jul 1, 2021 - Jun 30, 2022 877

479

2,873

6,406