Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), bringing together leading Criminal Justice researchers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), has been awarded a two-year, $1 million grant by the National Collaborative for Gun Violence Research to investigate the reasons that young Black males ages 15-24 pick up and carry guns.
TMCF’s study is among more than $10 million in grants announced by the Collaborative for 18 research projects that will produce evidence for improving gun policy in America. The grants build on a recent revival of gun violence research funding. In July 2019, the Collaborative awarded an initial round of $9.8 million to 17 research projects. Then, for the first time in more than 20 years, the federal government committed $25 million to support gun violence research at the end of 2019.
TMCF’s study was selected from among 48 full proposals invited by the Collaborative after receiving 238 letters of interest responding to its proposal request.
To implement this study, TMCF brings together leading HBCU Criminal Justice researchers in Houston, TX, Wilmington, DE and Baltimore, MD – leveraging the experience, knowledge and status of HBCUs in the African-American community to conduct research on attitudes toward guns ownership, possession, and usage by urban youth (15-24); the dynamics of social transmission of gun ownership and possession, carrying a gun, using a gun to threaten someone; and escalation to gun violence. TMCF also would include in this research family, community, social and environmental factors that promote or support gun ownership and gun usage in urban African-American communities. The scope of this research, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, will build a data-driven view into the mindset that underlies and perpetuates gun violence among African American youth.
TMCF President & CEO Harry L. Williams will serve as the Lead Primary Investigator on the project, with Dr. Dorothy Dillard, Director of the Center for Neighborhood Revitalization and Research at Delaware State University serving as Co-PI. Other researchers involved in this project include Dr. Johnny Rice of Coppin State University, and Dr. Howard Henderson, Director of the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University.
“We selected these research projects based first and foremost on their scientific rigor,” said Frank M. Clark, chair of the Research Advisory Committee and past chair of the Chicago Board of Education. “That is the only way to generate the evidence necessary for informing policy that both protects the public and preserves the rights of responsible gun owners.”
Gun violence is one of the five leading causes of death among Americans aged 1-64 and yet, compared with other major causes of death and injury, the federal government has invested far less in research to prevent gun violence than for other leading causes of death.
The Collaborative funds rigorous scientific research with direct relevance to firearm-violence reduction in the United States. It was seeded with a $20 million gift from Arnold Ventures and has been supported by contributions from other organizations, including Wells Fargo, Missouri Foundation for Health, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. For more information, go to www.ncgvr.org.
About Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF ‘s 47 member-schools are America’s publicly-supported HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Publicly-supported HBCUs enroll over 80% of all students attending HBCUs – nearly 300,000 students. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource across the education continuum, from K-12 through higher education. The organization is also a source for top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.