PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study finds social networks are key to city violence

2013-11-15
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Amy Athey McDonald
203-432-8553
Yale University
Study finds social networks are key to city violence A new study of gun violence in Chicago, led by Yale sociologist Andrew Papachristos, reveals that a person's social network is a key predictor in whether an individual will become a victim of gun homicide, even more so than race, age, gender, poverty, or gang affiliation.

"Risk factors like race and poverty are not the predictors they have been assumed to be," said Papachristos, "It's who you hang out with that gets you into trouble. It's tragic, but not random."

The study, co-authored with Christopher Wildeman from the Yale Department of Sociology, likens gun violence to a blood-borne pathogen. In the analysis, published Nov. 14 in The American Journal of Public Health, Papachristos notes that crime, like a disease, follows certain patterns. People in the same social network, he said, are more likely to engage in similar risky behaviors—like carrying a firearm or taking part in criminal activities — which increases the probability of victimization.

"Generally, you can't catch a bullet from just anyone. Your relationship with the people involved matters," he said. "It's not unlike needle sharing or unprotected sex in the spread of HIV."

In this study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Papachristos examined police and gun homicide records from 2006 to 2011 for residents living within a six-square mile area that had some of the highest rates for homicide in Chicago. He found that 6% of the population was involved in 70% of the murders, and that nearly all of those in the 6% already had some contact with the criminal justice or public health systems. In addition, those in the 6% had a 900% increased risk of becoming a victim of gun homicide — suggesting that being part of a risky network might offer more insight into one's chance of becoming a victim than other risk factors. "You could easily identify who the dots are on these network maps and direct the resources accordingly," he added.

Which is exactly what the Chicago Police Department (CPD) has done. In a new violence prevention initiative, the CPD is currently using network analysis to identify the area's top 20 residents most likely to shoot someone or be shot. A CPD police commander and the head of a community anti-violence program recently visited these high-risk individuals at their homes, explained how their history and networks landed them on the list, and delivered the message that their lives matter and they want them to stay out of trouble. "The CPD is using this as a way to reach out to people, rather than just make arrests," noted Papachristos.

While it is too early to know the approach's long-term effects, other cities are taking notice and working on similar network models, including East Paolo Alto and Stockton in California, and Bridgeport and New Haven in Connecticut.

Papchristos has scaled up his study to the entire city of Chicago, a network of more than 170,000 individuals. He is currently expanding into other cities and also following the physical guns in social networks. "Ultimately, we want to answer the question of how can we police better, smarter, and fairer," he said.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Starting dialysis after -- not before -- conception may improve birth rates in women with advanced kidney disease

2013-11-15
Starting dialysis after -- not before -- conception may improve birth rates in women with advanced kidney disease Study's findings may help guide care of young women who need dialysis Washington, DC (November 14, 2013) — Women with advanced kidney disease who start ...

Scientists identify the world's most irreplaceable protected areas

2013-11-15
Scientists identify the world's most irreplaceable protected areas This news release is available in French. Gland, Switzerland, 14 November 2013 (IUCN) – A new scientific study has identified the protected areas most critical to preventing extinctions of the world's ...

UMD, Google & gov. create first detailed map of global forest change

2013-11-15
UMD, Google & gov. create first detailed map of global forest change COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- A University of Maryland-led, multi-organizational team has created the first high-resolution global map of forest extent, loss and gain. This resource greatly improves the ability to ...

Stanford researchers home in on roots of Caribbean populations using new DNA analysis method

2013-11-15
Stanford researchers home in on roots of Caribbean populations using new DNA analysis method STANFORD, Calif. — Those of us who want to learn about our ancestors — who they were, where they came from and how they mingled (or didn't) with others ...

Deciphering genetic echoes from the past: Illuminating human history

2013-11-15
Deciphering genetic echoes from the past: Illuminating human history Historical records are often used to learn about ancestry but a new approach, using genetics, is currently being applied. In a recent study, published in PLOS Genetics, scientists from the Stanford University ...

Stanford scientists create a low-cost, long-lasting water splitter made of silicon and nickel

2013-11-15
Stanford scientists create a low-cost, long-lasting water splitter made of silicon and nickel Stanford University scientists have created a silicon-based water splitter that is both low-cost and corrosion-free. The novel device – a silicon semiconductor coated in ...

High marks for Columbia's new public health curriculum

2013-11-15
High marks for Columbia's new public health curriculum The architects of the Columbia MPH reflect on its rationale and design, and report feedback from students and faculty A fully re-envisioned Master of Public Health program was launched by Columbia ...

Has the idea of 'zero deforestation' lost its meaning

2013-11-15
Has the idea of 'zero deforestation' lost its meaning Separate targets for gross deforestation and reforestation would increase progress toward forest conservation, climate change mitigation goals ARLINGTON, Va. (November 14, 2013) – What exactly does "zero ...

Quantum world record smashed

2013-11-15
Quantum world record smashed A normally fragile quantum state has been shown to survive at room temperature for a world record 39 minutes, overcoming a key barrier towards building ultrafast quantum computers. An international team ...

Drug trial for top parasitic killer of the Americas: Mixed results, new evidence to improve therapy

2013-11-15
Drug trial for top parasitic killer of the Americas: Mixed results, new evidence to improve therapy First placebo-controlled study in adults with Chagas disease highlights urgent need to scale up treatment for millions of patients at risk [Washington, DC ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New study reveals widespread and overlooked flooding across NC

In a competitive world, mean leaders look smart

New study highlights how perceived economic inequality undermines individual well-being across 71 countries

The heat survival code of plants: The hidden mechanism of RNA splicing uncovered

How plants survive drought: The unsuspected role of myosin XI in guard cells

Pusan National University researchers unveil game-changing UV-fueled shape-shifting and shape-fixing smart materials

Landmark study in cell introduces first-of-its-kind optogenetic screening platform for drug discovery

Measuring air pollutants in real time: ERC proof of concept grant for TU Graz physicist

How new genes get switched on

Regrowing hearing cells: New gene functions discovered in zebrafish offer clues for future hearing loss treatments

Air pollution cuts in East Asia likely accelerated global warming

Fighting leukemia by breaking a hidden cell loop

Astronomers find a giant hiding in the ‘fog’ around a young star

Researchers hit ‘fast forward’ on materials discovery with self-driving labs

New label-free imaging tracks cancer treatment in single cells

So what do the world’s coastlines look like in 2025?

High-purity green hydrogen with very low tar from biomass, with chemical looping gasification

Not all "forever chemicals" are equal: Experts call for nuanced PFAS policy to protect human and public health and the environment

‘Hope isn’t enough – we need action when it comes to climate change’, an earth scientist’s guide for the future

Obesity rates in Canada increased after start of COVID-19 pandemic

Supporting autistic patients in health care

New study finds sharp increase in nicotine pouch ingestions among young children

LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detect most massive black hole merger to date

Lonely adults may have a higher risk of diabetes

Intermittent energy restriction may improve outcomes in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes

Grandfather’s environmental chemical exposures may influence when girls get first period

Early-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may fuel food preferences

Age at woman’s first period can offer clues about long-term health risks

AI-powered application enables clinicians to diagnose endocrine cancers faster and more accurately

Obesity-associated cancers tripled nationwide over past two decades

[Press-News.org] Study finds social networks are key to city violence