Latest from The Trace

Chicagoans on What’s Needed to Help Survivors — and Their Communities — Heal From Gun Violence

Aftershocks

Chicagoans on What’s Needed to Help Survivors — and Their Communities — Heal From Gun Violence

Shooting survivors face physical and psychological recovery, often with little to no help. Could reallocating resources bring healing?

Mary Hall, Meha Ahmad, and Lakeidra Chavis
The Problems With Chicago’s Gang-Centric Narrative of Gun Violence

Law Enforcement

The Problems With Chicago’s Gang-Centric Narrative of Gun Violence

City officials have repeatedly blamed gangs for driving up shootings. But analysis shows that the Chicago Police Department’s own data doesn’t back up its leaders' claims.

Lakeidra Chavis
In Chicago, Controversy Mounts Over the Use of Gunshot Detection Sensors

Law Enforcement

In Chicago, Controversy Mounts Over the Use of Gunshot Detection Sensors

The city quietly renewed its multi-million dollar contract with ShotSpotter. But a growing body of evidence suggests the technology is ineffective and activists say it leads to deadly over-policing.

Jim Daley
How Climate Change Could Worsen Gun Violence

Q & A

How Climate Change Could Worsen Gun Violence

Criminologist Daniel Semenza says global warming may devastate communities already hit hardest by shootings.

Jennifer Mascia
Mexico Looks to Bypass U.S. Gun Companies’ Special Legal Immunity

Law

Mexico Looks to Bypass U.S. Gun Companies’ Special Legal Immunity

The latest attempt to hold gunmakers accountable for soaring violence relies on a novel legal argument.

Champe Barton
Hospital-Based Intervention Can Save Lives. A Growing Movement Is Betting on Medicaid to Fund It.

How We Fix This

Hospital-Based Intervention Can Save Lives. A Growing Movement Is Betting on Medicaid to Fund It.

The Biden administration has quietly backed an idea that recently became law in Connecticut. Advocates say they hope more states will soon follow.

Chip Brownlee
Missouri’s ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’ Law Could Complicate Police Efforts to Solve Gun Crimes

Law

Missouri’s ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’ Law Could Complicate Police Efforts to Solve Gun Crimes

Victim advocates and law enforcement officials say that a new state law taking aim at federal gun rules could hamstring attempts to disarm abusers and prevent local authorities from reporting stores for failing to run background checks.

Jennifer Mascia
Birmingham’s Young Mayor Promised to Radically Rethink Criminal Justice. Then Shootings Spiked.

Politics

Birmingham’s Young Mayor Promised to Radically Rethink Criminal Justice. Then Shootings Spiked.

Now up for reelection, Randall Woodfin is struggling to balance police reform with gun violence prevention.

Chip Brownlee
Close Friends, Unwittingly Linked by a Childhood Shooting

Ricochet

Close Friends, Unwittingly Linked by a Childhood Shooting

Tashante McCoy-Ham and Deion Short became friends before they realized that he had been involved in the shooting that wounded her at 15. “There’s always a deeper story about how people become who they are."

Ann Givens
New York to Roll Out Pioneering Violence Prevention Program That Involves Financial Incentives

How We Fix This

New York to Roll Out Pioneering Violence Prevention Program That Involves Financial Incentives

The Advance Peace model, which pairs young people with mentors and rewards them for reaching life goals, has achieved positive outcomes in other cities. It's about to face its biggest test yet.

Champe Barton