Although the frequency and severity of mass violence in the US is increasing, there is a paucity of information about the immediate impact, long-term consequences, and response and recovery for diverse affected populations and the community at large. In the proposed project, "Examination of the Short and Long-term Impact of Mass Violence in Communities," we will extend our existing project on the impacts of school shootings, using our mixed-method collaborative model, to investigate the consequences associated with six mass violence events that have occurred in the U.S. within the past five years. Key partners for this project include the UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, the University of California, Irvine, and other site-specific collaborators. After the formation of an Advisory Board of national experts to help guide the research, focus groups and key informant interviews will be held at each of the selected study sites with targeted membership to obtain information about the acute and longer term affects, including: impact on diverse affected populations and the community; response and recovery efforts; factors that influence individual, familial, peer, and community experience; the range of coping mechanisms employed over time; the types and amounts of services and supports received; and perceived benefits of victim services. Additional areas of study will include the examination of the creation of foundations and donor organizations and how these funds are allocated, used and perceived by the community. Also, survivors reactions to media coverage, to participation in criminal justice activities, (including police reports, testimony at trial), and to how new incidents may trigger issues for victims and communities will be investigated. Based on information obtained from the focus groups, surveys will then be conducted at study sites with specific target populations. A second component of the project will obtain and analyze the content and impact of media and social media at selected study sites. Qualitative and quantitative findings from this study will be published, presented at professional meetings and on-site at the collaborating communities, presented in webinars, and incorporated into training programs. Implications of the findings will be drawn for recommendations regarding preparedness, response, and recovery of communities after mass violence, and for public policy.
ca/ncf
