About

Two leading organizations dedicated to gun violence prevention—the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy and the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence—have merged to form a new center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions combines the expertise of highly respected gun violence researchers with the skills of deeply experienced gun violence prevention advocates. We use a public health approach to conduct rigorous scientific research to identify a range of innovative solutions to gun violence. Because gun violence disproportionately impacts communities of color, we ground our work in equity and seek insights from those most impacted on appropriate solutions. Using the best available science, our Center works towards expanding evidence-based advocacy and policy-making efforts. This combination of expertise creates a unique opportunity to turn public health research into action that reduces deaths and injuries from gun violence.

​​Founded at the Bloomberg School in 1995, the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy has been widely recognized for its high-quality research, analysis, and innovative approaches to prevent gun violence. The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, a non-profit organization founded in 1978, has used public health principles and research translation to engage in policy development, advocacy, and community and stakeholder collaboration.

Our new Center identifies and strategically advocates for policies and programs that will make our communities safer.  One such policy is handgun purchaser licensing. Our research shows that if additional states implemented this policy we could see reductions in gun deaths of up to 30% in those locations, potentially saving thousands of lives per year.

“Our biggest successes have come when the evidence meets the moment. Right now is one such moment. This new Center will put the evidence-based solutions identified and developed by our new colleagues directly into the hands of the policymakers ready to make change.”

—Josh Horwitz, JD
Co-Director