WHY WE SHOULD TREAT VIOLENCE LIKE AN EPIDEMIC

We call violence an ‘epidemic’ – and there is reason to take that literally. The good news? From Chicago to Glasgow, treating violence like an infectious disease has had impressive results.

By: Samira Shackle

Published: BBC, 24 July 2018, http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180723-why-we-should-treat-violence-like-an-epidemic

Level of Difficulty: **

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Let us treat violence like an infectious disease https://www.ted.com/talks/gary_slutkin_let_s_treat_violence_like_a_contagious_disease

·         Dr. Gary Slutkin’s Cure Violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-lPq9wxHA0

·         You will find many videos about the VRU on the net so watch them if you wish. But you will need to have the English subtitles switched on as the speakers all have broad Scotish accents you may find hard to follow at this level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5gwewSRYa4&list=PLUIbDFnHl5j-36LX7mV19K8LHd9I7ypAp&index=5

QUESTIONS

1.       Why do you think the boy with the knife wound did not react the way the doctor expected him to? Tweak the text. Why is this incident significant?

2.       What surprising conclusion was reached by the world health organization?

3.       What misguided view has prevented the tendency to violence from being treated like obesity or smoking for example?

4.       What was the reason for McCluskey’s initiative? The realization that…

5.       What was the reason for the above? Tweak the text.

6.       It was VRU’s view that violence……………………issue that caused the massive drop in rates of violence.

7.       The reason why violence is more predominant in certain areas of the city than others is the fact that…

8.       Despite findings to the contrary, the most widely practiced measure against violence is firm policing because…

9.       Read the account of Slutkin’s work. What long term measure needs to be taken to tackle the spread of infectious diseases? What short term measure also needs to be taken and why?

10.   How did Slutkin change behavioral norms? By resorting to…

11.   What does “This” refer to in the phrase “This was a radical departure…”?

12.   The mistake made by the authorities and law enforcement is failing to realize that…

13.   A. What widely held prejudice does Slutkin object to concerning the perpetrators of violence? The belief that the perpetrators of violence are predominantly… (Use your own words to draw a conclusion)

B.      What does he state to be the real reason?

14.   What was significant about the methods Slutkin used to try to reduce violence in Chicago?

15.   A. Read Cole’s story. What is his job in Cure Violence?

B. How effective violence interrupters are is linked to….

C. What makes Cole an ideal violence interrupter?

        16.  Read the two paragraphs detailing how Cure Violence operates. We understand from this

                Section that:

·         Cure Violence provides a quick fix

·         Cure Violence plays the long game

·         Cure Violence operates like the police

        17    What is the major problem with a system like Cure Violence?

         18  Kennedy’s model differs from Cure Violence in that includes the threat of…. because…

         19   The program in Scotland is unique because it is….

         20   Glasgow’s navigators are different from their Chicago counterparts in that…

         21   Why is it important to make maximum use of the “reachable – teachable moment”? There are two answers; find both.

         22    What unique set of circumstances has enabled the program in Scotland to be successful?

         23    We understand from the comparison to AIDS the main reason Cure Violence doesn’t   always get the support it needs is….

        24     Murray’s approach to tackling violence can best be summarized as…

        25     What proof can you find in the text that Alan has undergone a transformation?

        26.    What proof can you find in the text that Murray’s views have also changed?

WRITING TASK

Use all the information you have gleaned to write about how best to tackle the increasing amount of violence. Justify your position.

WHY WE SHOULD TREAT VIOLENCE LIKE AN EPIDEMIC; KEY AND TEACHERS’ NOTES

This text details a novel approach to dealing with violence, one that has worked remarkably well in the US and Scotland. Proof is offered and we are encouraged to change our mindsets and look at the problem differently. The task can be done in one sitting; alternatively, breaks can be taken as I did while writing the questions.

1.       Because he wanted to have a scar like his friends / Because all his friends had scars (Because he had just joined the club will not be enough on its own as it is not clear enough on its own) Because it is indication of how bad the situation had become

2.       Glasgow was the murder capital of Europe

3.       The assumption that violence is innate and immutable behavior and that people engaging in it are beyond redemption

4.       Traditional policing was not actually reducing violent crime

5.       It was poverty, inequality, things like toxic masculinity, alcohol use that caused violence

6.       Is a public health

7.       Violence spreads between people

8.       Being tough on crime is a vote winner

9.       Large structural factors need to be tackled. People need to be made to change their behavior. It takes a long time to improve structural problems

10.   Outreach workers from the same group

11.   Flu causes more flu, colds cause more colds and violence causes more violence

12.   Behavior is formed by modeling and copying

13.   African American or Mexican American / Patterns of behavior

14.   They were the same steps as the WHO takes to control outbreaks (of cholera, TB or HIV)

15.   A. To calm people down before the dispute escalates into violence

B.  How credible they are

C. He has served a long prison sentence and can speak from experience

16.  F, T, F
17.   It takes a lot of workers to get results

18.   Strong penalties / it was politically necessary

19.   It is run by the police force with support from the government

20.   Glasgow’s navigators are not assigned to specific localities; instead, they work in accident and emergency departments and approach people who come in after a violent incident.

21.   Because in six or 12 weeks, they’ll be in a different mindset OR Someone is more receptive to change

22.   Scotland has an unusual level of political consensus, with successive governments funding this work.

23.   Is the way people understand the problem

24.   Engineering out the issue rather than waiting for it to happen

25.   I just want a peaceful life,” he says. “I never wanted that before, I just wanted to take drugs.”

26.   He says:“I know from my previous roles in policing over the years, I could have arrested that guy 10 times in a row and I wouldn’t have made a blind bit of difference to his behaviour. By supporting him and connecting with him, I can make a long-term, sustainable change to his behaviour,” he says.