Where two worlds Collide: A Social Justice Imperative for Youth Gang Violence Prevention through an Epidemiological Criminology Disparities Framework

In theory, policy-makers are confronted against a myriad of social justice and public health challenges. They are pressed with deciding which CBOs are to be funded or not. These decisions are made, at times, on nothing more than a subjective opinion. At other times, their funding decisions are evidence-based, data driven, and demonstrated through a proven track record of performance by the CBOs. The burden of carrying out the public health or social services rests on the CBOs that reside directly as gatekeepers to their community. Their challenges in providing services may address the complexities of violence prevention, gang membership, illiteracy, mental health issues, or substance abuse, among others. However, when alleged criminal activities are directed to some aspect of a CBO or its employees, it is at this convergence where these two worlds collide, thus beginning a “social justice imperative” which confronts the burden moving from legitimacy to perceived illegitimacy. This presentation is based on a case study of a CBO that is actively involved in interventions to address gang violence and youth membership into the criminal subculture of gangs in Baltimore, Maryland. The emerging paradigm of Epidemiological Criminology can serve as a bridging framework which takes into account the biomedical and behavioral aspects of the individual, family, community, and society, by directly addressing solutions that employ the best evidence of primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions, and may provide insight into how a CBO must engage to effectively address youth and gang violence within a defined community.