This is a story about how Ozarks leaders hope to take on urban gun violence — when restricting guns isn’t on the table.
According to the Missouri Foundation for Health, firearms are considered the leading cause of death for children and teens — and for adults under 25. Centers for Disease Control data show that Missouri is the 9th-worst state for firearm mortality among all ages, with a death rate that roughly doubled between 2005 and 2021.
To begin to address the problem, adults are trying to listen to young people.
Francine Pratt with Community Partnership of the Ozarks is among the leaders of a relatively new effort called the Gun Safety and Violence Collaborative. She says, “We did ask [young people in Springfield] what can young people do about gun violence? Their number one thing was to talk to other young people of what gun violence can do to their lives.”
With the help of Springfield folks, including co-chair Clay Goddard, former health department director; along with Pastor Roger Franklin, Pratt and the Collaborative have already been informally surveying young people in Queen City neighborhoods hard-hit by firearm violence.
Pratt says, “What we're hearing in our raw data, if you grow up in an environment where you're told 'you ain't about nothing,' and you're beaten, you’re cussed at, you're put down, you're watching situations handled with guns, or by fighting or by drugs, or — that's what you learn."
"And so, for several of them in that environment, it's like, ‘I don't know any better, this is what I was taught.’ You also, in that particular group, you hear, ‘I need protection, because I'm getting bullied when I'm outside of the house,’ or ‘I need protection from my family if I'm living in this area.’ ”
The Collaborative is gaining support on Springfield City Council, particularly from the two members representing the city’s north half, where intensive “gun violence reduction zones” are being planned to help tamp down the problem.
Northeast Springfield Councilman Abe McGull used to work as a federal prosecutor in the state of Louisiana. At Council's April 2 daytime study session, McGull told fellow council members that programs similar to Springfield’s fledgling Collaborative made a big, positive difference in the city of New Orleans. He says the gun problem there was much worse than Springfield’s challenges.
“We don’t want to have a gun problem," McGull said. "This, I think, is a proactive way of addressing the issue before it becomes a problem.”
Springfield’s Collaborative is seeking roughly $94,000 in “immediate” startup funding. In a few years, they hope to earn grant funding from the federal government and the Missouri Foundation for Health. If Springfield ends up with a long-term funding commitment to help solve its gun violence problem, Pratt estimated the annual cost likely wouldn’t be any more expensive than the startup amount.
That startup money would come from recently approved marijuana sales taxes. City officials forecast that millions of dollars in cannabis tax are likely to begin arriving in the near future.
Northwest Springfield Councilwoman Monica Horton called the Collaborative a “top four priority” among ideas on how to spend the new revenue on key needs of the city.
Councilman Craig Hosmer compared the $94,000 startup proposal to typical yearly salaries for just two law enforcement officers.
The Collaborative strategy also features prevention tactics — in line with recent calls for help from the community by Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams.
Gun safety courses, trusted mentors seen as helpful
That includes promoting gun safety within families.
Pratt, co-chair of the Gun Safety and Violence Collaborative, says, “and when we asked, 'what can Springfield do about gun violence?' Their top answer so far: Parents need to be more responsible with guns, but some parents don't care. And right behind that: Parents need to teach their kids about guns with gun safety courses.”
Springfield’s Collaborative draws a lot of its ideas from an effort called Advance Peace. AP seeks to steer young men considered likely to become gun crime offenders toward more wholesome living. Trusted mentors who share a common culture are a big part of the recipe for success, Pratt says. She referenced the November shooting death of 26-year-old Chaviz Nguyen. A Springfield 19-year-old and two juveniles were charged in the crime.
Pratt recalled, “it was the day after the shooting that Pastor Roger Franklin had a gathering at Mimi’s Soul Food restaurants, with people from the community, people who not only knew, Mr. Nguyen, but also people who knew the alleged shooters.”
Six years ago in Sacramento, California, Advance Peace ran an 18-month intensive effort to identify roughly 50 people deemed likely to offend for what they called a Peacemaker mentoring program. According to an academic study, gun homicides and assaults fell by 22% in the Sacramento gun violence reduction zones where the program was deployed.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Springfield City Council might vote on startup funding for the Gun Safety & Violence Collaborative, but many members indicated they support the idea at their April 2 study session.
