New study examines community violence solutions in Indianapolis

A new study emphasizes how community violence impacts neighborhoods and residents and examines possible solutions.

The project, dubbed the Big Idea, studied numerous innovation forums held in Indianapolis in 2022.

IU School of Medicine trauma surgeon Damaris Ortiz was involved in the study and said it provides diverse perspectives on violence reduction.

“We found that evidence-based policy making is lacking in Indianapolis, and there's a lot of work being done by organizations in the city for violence prevention, mainly along providing services,” Ortiz said.

Recurring themes identified in the analysis include limiting gun access and altering policies related to affordable housing.

Ortiz said other big ideas include improving the community’s physical and social environment and increasing public awareness about violence and its impact on neighborhoods.

“Talk about doing media campaigns in order to promote racial equity, since a lot of communities that experience high rates of violence are minority communities,” Ortiz said.

The Regenstrief Institute, the Indiana University School of Medicine and the City of Indianapolis’s Office of Public Health and Safety partnered for the study.