Kids and youth should be able to go to school without having to worry. We know a safer future is possible. Yet today, over 50% of kids worry about a school shooting. Many other kids - especially Black and Latino youth - worry about shootings on their way to school and may have been affected by gun loss in their own communities.
Research shows there are ways we can make schools safer, but they may not always be what we think. There are three clear categories of ways we can reduce school related gun violence. It’s important to note that until recently, there has been little research as to what actually works to reduce school shootings and gun violence around schools. As communities and states, we need to be prepared to change our approach as we learn more about what works.
Together, we can create real, lasting change, and make sure all students feel safe in and around their schools.
Many of us have felt hopeless as we’ve watched mass shootings. Yet, change is possible.
Increase use of Extreme Risk Protection Orders to prevent shootings before they occur
In most mass shootings, there are warning signs before the shooting. Here in Oregon, we have an Extreme Risk Protection Order law, or ERPO law, that can prevent tragedies before they happen. ERPOs allow family and household members and law enforcement to have a person's guns temporarily removed, and prevent them from purchasing a firearm, if they are at risk of harm to self or others. Learn more about how to file an ERPO.
Recent research has found that ERPOs have been effective at preventing mass shootings, including here in Oregon. Data out of California found that at least 100 potential mass shootings had been prevented with the help of an ERPO.
However, to date, ERPOs have been underutilized here in Oregon. At the Alliance for a Safe Oregon, we are working to increase awareness of ERPOs by training law enforcement and communities on how to use ERPOs effectively.
