Violence Policy Center

Since its founding in 1988 by executive director Josh Sugarmann, the work of the Violence Policy Center has been driven by twin goals. The first is to aid the general public's understanding of firearms violence as a public health issue. In support of this, each year the VPC releases original research via published reports detailing gun violence's lethal impact on American society. A key component of the VPC's approach is the recognition that firearms violence stems not solely from criminal misuse, but from the widespread marketing and distribution of an inherently dangerous consumer product of which specific categories have very limited utility and inflict high costs on society in the form of premature death and debilitating injury. Compared to other industries, the most notable aspect of the firearms industry is its almost complete lack of health and safety regulation. The VPC believes that the most effective approach to reducing gun death and injury is comprehensive consumer product health and safety oversight of the firearms industry. The second goal is to use the VPC's research and public education activities to shape effective public policy though earned media and education of policymakers while at the same time involving individuals and organizations from impacted communities in efforts to reduce gun death and injury.