nature: Gun violence is surging — researchers finally have the money to ask why

nature: People light candles at a memorial to three women who were shot by a gunman at a spa in Atlanta, Georgia, in March. Credit: Chang W. Lee/NYT/Redux/eyevine

Researcher Maeve Wallace just received a large amount of funding to look into how gun policies affect homicide rates. Although it is one of the leading causes of death in America, gun violence research is one of the least funded areas. After the high school shooting back in February of 2018, advocacy groups demanded for more research funding in the causes of gun violence. The CDC and NIH were each, individually, authorized for $12.5 million fundings for gun-violence research. President Biden has requested for an increase of $50 million by 2022. Researcher Wallace hopes to persuade states to authorize gun policies by demonstrating how the number of deaths can decrease especially for pregnant women. Another researcher Wexlex, who is a community-based participatory researcher of the Alaskan Indigenous Maniilaq Association, states that it can be offensive to show gun violence research, as guns are essential for hunting, fishing, and gathering in the area. For the full article, click here. For more articles on active shooter, click here.