UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP)

Check out this conversation between VPRP's Dr. Wintemute and Jess Phoenix, FRGS on the Union of Concerned Scientists' podcast. They discuss the science of political violence and what we can do to stop it. https://lnkd.in/g-FV9pFB

After one year of the Yolo County Basic Income (YOBI) pilot project, families in YOBI reported increases in renting/owning their homes and being better able to afford basic needs. Learn more about the YOBI pilot’s first-year outcomes: https://lnkd.in/g9qFrrxc   The Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency collaborated with the UC Davis Center for Regional Change and our team (UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP)) for the evaluation.    This work was supported by the County of Yolo, First 5 Yolo, Kelly Foundation, California Department of Social Services - Office of Child Abuse Prevention, Sierra Health Foundation, Stuart Foundation, Sutter Health, and Travis Credit Union.

It's been a significant week for VPRP research. Here's a summary of media features over the past few days: Los Angeles Times: "Opinion: Too many Americans support political violence. It’s up to the rest of us to dissuade them" https://lnkd.in/g8fYkU7M The New York Times: "‘Our nation is not well’: Voters fear what could happen next" https://lnkd.in/gCdki9u7 The New York Times: "An assassination attempt that seems likely to tear America further apart" https://lnkd.in/d9Ct9_96 Los Angeles Times: "Trump shooting points to growing threats of political violence" https://lnkd.in/eSbDmPSy CapRadio: "‘Vast majority’ of Americans reject political violence, Davis gun violence researcher says" https://lnkd.in/gKmKENjp Los Angeles Times: "Column: The Trump shooting and the glorification of guns" https://lnkd.in/g2Et_Cha Los Angeles Times: "Column: Our leaders are calling for unity. Do they mean it?" https://lnkd.in/g_aKpvyJ The Trace: "The attempt to assassinate Trump was also a mass shooting" https://lnkd.in/geB_bqfA Action News Now: "Community processes political violence" https://lnkd.in/gWgVUYiz Charleston Gazette-Mail: "Tom Crouser: I don't know, and you probably don't either (Opinion)" https://lnkd.in/gMuwepx4 The Fulcrum: "The American tragedy of the Trump assassination attempt" https://lnkd.in/g7AnJ2wi KCRA 3 & My58 Television: "Q&A: Expert on political violence speaks after Donald Trump's attempted assassination" https://lnkd.in/gaRJmEUZ CapRadio: "Trump assassination attempt and political violence" https://lnkd.in/gDXqhJwD Los Angeles Times: "LA Times Today: Trump shooting is a historic moment echoing past political violence in America" https://lnkd.in/gjndbPWq

UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP) studies political violence as a public health issue. What have we learned? The majority of Americans reject political violence altogether. Now is the time to make our opposition to political violence known, over and over and as publicly as possible. In 2022, we launched an annual, nationally representative survey to explore personal willingness to engage in political violence. We found that small but concerning proportions of Americans are willing to engage in violence for political aims. (Fact sheet: https://lnkd.in/gBtPCfKZ) Findings from 2022 found that while MAGA Republicans are more likely than others to endorse political violence, they are not more willing to *engage* in violence themselves. (Visual abstract: https://lnkd.in/gxaXf8hz) Differences in support for political violence between firearm owners and nonowners are small to moderate when present. Certain subgroups of firearm owners stand out in their support and willingness to engage in political violence. (Visual abstract: https://lnkd.in/g4j2hwsK) With 2023’s results, the list of groups that endorse political violence and are more willing to engage in it grew to include racists, sexists, xenophobes, homophobes, transphobes Islamophobes and antisemites. (Visual abstract: https://lnkd.in/gQyFyjvw) From 2022-2023, support for political violence declined. Preliminary data for 2024 so far do not show a rise in support for political violence, despite 2024 being a presidential election year. (Visual abstract: https://lnkd.in/gjMwqqQc) These findings provide grounds for hope and directions for a way forward. We must ensure that violence doesn’t determine the outcome of this year’s elections. It begins with each of us making and acting on this commitment: Not if I can help it. For more findings and recommendations, view our full list of political violence publications: https://lnkd.in/eHapPWys #PublicHealth #PoliticalViolence #FirearmViolence

VPRP's research along with insight from Dr. Garen Wintemute was featured today in the The New York Times: “In a national study that is now in its third year, two-thirds of Americans in 2022 and three-fourths in 2023 rejected political violence as never justified, and even among those who condoned political violence, a vast majority said they would not commit it themselves. Many people not only recoil from political fights, but avoid politics entirely, Dr. Wintemute noted. ‘Americans in the middle have been acting like spectators at a train wreck, but we’re all on the same train,’ he said. ‘And if the train goes over a cliff, we’ll all go with it.’” https://lnkd.in/gCdki9u7

We can all help prevent political violence. Read more from VPRP's Dr. Garen Wintemute in The New York Times: https://lnkd.in/gJz73hDs

Political violence has no place in our democracy. Our research shows that the great majority of Americans reject political violence as never justified. Now is the time to voice that opposition. Dr. Wintemute wrote about our political violence research just a few weeks ago in The Hill. He underscored the importance of speaking out against political violence, and speaking up when you have reason for concern: https://lnkd.in/gqA-j4sn Our political violence publication list, including visual abstracts, is available here: https://lnkd.in/eHapPWys #PoliticalViolence #TrumpAssassinationAttempt

From The New York Times Editorial Board: "A study by researchers at the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP), released in October 2022, came to the conclusion that MAGA Republicans (as opposed to those who identified themselves as traditional Republicans) ‘are more likely to hold extreme and racist beliefs, to endorse political violence, to see such violence as likely to occur and to predict that they will be armed under circumstances in which they consider political violence to be justified.’" #UCDavis https://lnkd.in/gXw5XPa5

"An Expert’s View On Why We Die From Gun Violence" featuring VPRP's Dr. Garen Wintemute in The Sacramento Observer https://lnkd.in/gqQBKGfT

NEW RESEARCH out today from our Gun Violence Prevention and Justice Reform Program found that nearly half of all law enforcement agencies are not fully using ATF's intelligence tools to solve gun crimes. Our report comes at a time when the clearance rate for gun homicides is only 46 percent annually. Crime gun intelligence tools are essential for identifying gun traffickers, reducing bias in policing, solving gun crimes and saving lives. Read more below about how our report provides recommendations for Congress, ATF, state policymakers, and local law enforcement agencies to effectively use these tools to make significant progress in reducing gun violence and protecting our communities. https://lnkd.in/gr3gP7HW #GunViolencePrevention #CrimeGunIntelligenceTools #PublicSafety