Gun violence emerges from the action of a person or group of people toward others where injury or death is a potential outcome. As traumatic as the incident is, we can address these behaviors, not from a national perspective, but one more close to home, in our neighborhoods and along our streets. Engaged and trained citizens, working collaboratively and with assistance from public and private partners, can and do make a difference. Developing citizen resilience, capable of regaining balance after an event and working to prevent future occurrences, increases the quality of life and helps create a more peaceful existence for people. A resilient community prepares for a debilitating incident or traumatic event and has plans and procedures in place that enhance the capacity of its citizens and institutions to address them and return more quickly to normality. The individual and collective capacity of groups, neighbors, business community, and other stakeholders, to respond appropriately, is not inherent and preparation is needed. The course of social and human events is managed by informed and prepared individuals who have the grit and mental toughness to overcome and survive. We can bring about positive change by taking steps to prepare and establish desired quality of life. Gun violence is among the issues that can be addressed resulting in prevention and reduction.
About the Author: Richard C. Lumb PhD. is Emeritus Professor and Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at the State University of New York at Brockport. Previous to that he was an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. During his tenure at UNCC, he was the Director of the Research, Planning and Analysis Bureau at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. This was by agreement with UNCC. He also directed the Carolinas Institute for Community Policing in North and South Carolina, during this period of time. He taught for an additional twenty-five years at two universities and continues to teach as an adjunct for the University of Maine at Augusta and the University of Massachusetts at Boston. His work has primarily focused on assisting people and groups build community capacity and resilience to address problems and find sustainable solutions. Education is a powerful tool when properly utilized by people as it expands their awareness, critical thinking skills, guided sustainable problem-solving and efforts to create improved quality of life for others. Lumb's earlier career comprises twenty-four years in policing including the Maine State Police and as Chief of Police in two cities.