On May 16, 2023, a 12-year-old boy was shot in the parking lot of his elementary school in Columbus, Ohio. ShotSpotter—SoundThinking’s acoustic gunshot detection service—identified the noise as gunfire and alerted police, as it does hundreds of times every day, all across the country. Thankfully, the young boy survived but we know from roughly 500 years of human experience with gunshot wounds that he is likely to suffer lifelong physical and emotional consequences from his injuries. What we have less experience recognizing, however, are the unseen psychological injuries of kids who are bystanders to gun violence: the hidden bullet holes. We are just beginning to understand the consequences for children who are not shot themselves, but who nonetheless suffer the indirect trauma of chronic exposure to criminal gunfire. And this understanding underscores the urgent need for a holistic gun violence prevention strategy.

The Impact of Gun Violence Trauma

While more research is needed, credible studies suggest that children who live in areas where gun violence is common may experience a cascade of adverse mental health and behavioral effects. The prolonged stress may cause some children to suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. They may be more likely to turn to substance abuse to cope with their trauma and less likely to perform well academically. And, importantly, they are more likely to exhibit aggressive or delinquent behavior.

Beyond the innumerable individual tragedies that result from gun violence, these factors have obvious consequences for our nation. There are direct and indirect economic costs that stunt our collective prosperity. It results in higher medical expenses and lost worker productivity. It diminishes overall economic opportunity for many communities. The perpetuation of crime and violence forces us to spend more resources on the criminal justice system, rather than making greater investments in our future.

Data Suggests this Problem is Worsening

According to a Pew Research Center report, the number of children and teens killed by gunfire in the U.S. increased by 50% between 2019 and 2021. Measures of indirect exposure to gunfire, however, have historically been less prevalent and somewhat imprecise. Gunshot detection data offers a useful indicator of these incidents.

ShotSpotter alerts include precise locations and times of shootings. When these alerts are layered with other data (such as mapped locations), they reveal important information about gun crimes. By analyzing aggregated gunfire data from these alerts, we glean unique insights, such as how often gunfire occurs near a school, and when it happens.

Despite measuring an overall decrease in shooting incidents between 2021 and 2022, analysis of ShotSpotter alerts from 127 cities reveals an 11% increase in shooting incidents that occurred within a quarter mile of a public school, during normal school hours. That means more students are being exposed to the sound of gunfire when they are in the classroom. This is worrisome in and of itself, but it also foreshadows long-term concerns for these kids.

Building a Holistic Strategy

So, what can we do about it? How do we reduce the incidence of gunfire in these places? How do we tend to the problems caused by that gunfire? Unsurprisingly, there is no single answer. It isn’t a challenge to be shouldered solely by police, or prosecutors, or elected officials, or school administrators, or community leaders, or religious institutions, or healthcare workers. It will take a collective effort.

The solution lies in a holistic strategy, based on the best available evidence. That strategy includes:

Sound Policy: Sound policy requires comprehensive, well-documented written protocols. Take the CGIC model as an example – a 7-step process, this is viewed as the go-to framework for navigating the immediate collection, management, and analysis of gun crime evidence. We need a similarly well-documented, over-arching framework for reducing gunfire and improving public safety.

Effective Policing: Unlike the reactive policing methods in the past, an effective 21st-century evidence-based policing approach leverages the best available data to guide decision making, leading to better outcomes.

Criminal Accountability: This entails the aggressive prosecution of offenders who commit violent crimes. Leveraging a comprehensive case management platform makes it easier for investigators and supervisors to capture all relevant information and submit to prosecution for a courtroom-ready case.

Organizational Collaboration: Too often, entities operate in silos, whether that’s police officers, community organizers, hospitals, school administrators, or other stakeholders. When it comes to establishing an effective and holistic violence prevention strategy, everyone has an important role to play, and it’s critical that law enforcement and non-law enforcement entities work together to build lasting, meaningful change.

Investments in Infrastructure and Technology: Technology such as ShotSpotter enables law enforcement to respond to gunfire with greater speed and accuracy, saving lives and improving rates of evidence collection in the process.

Cultural Awareness: Empathy and cultural awareness are critical traits that both law enforcement and community members need to cultivate as part of a comprehensive gun violence prevention strategy. Even if gun violence hasn’t impacted your life or community directly, it’s important to try to see through the eyes of those who have been impacted, and to have candid discussions with them to better understand what strategies they think would be most beneficial in the long term.

Community Support: Public safety is co-produced. It cannot be done by police alone. It’s important to have non-law enforcement stakeholders, such as victim advocates or community violence intervention (CVI) workers, available to respond and assist as needed, rather than relying solely on law enforcement.

Focused Deployment of Resources: Given police staffing shortages and the rise in crime in recent years, it’s more important than ever to have a strategic approach to the focused deployment of resources. Force multiplying technologies such as ShotSpotter and ResourceRouter alert law enforcement to the precise areas where gunfire or other criminal activity has taken place, making it easier to deploy resources where they are needed the most.

Trauma-Informed Care: As discussed earlier in this article, the trauma that victims and even bystanders suffer is a major public health issue that can be devastating if left untreated. It’s important for public health and education workers to work with law enforcement to better understand which places and individuals may be more susceptible to that trauma, and offer appropriate resources to assist.

June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. It also marks the start of summer, when kids should be focused on playing outside and enjoying longer days, not worrying about being the next victim of gun violence. Use it as an opportunity to make a difference. Educate yourself about these issues. Volunteer in a community support group. Attend an event. Let your voice be heard and tell people—especially your elected officials—that healthy kids and safe communities matter to you. Young lives depend on it.

It’s time we pay closer attention to the hidden bullet holes that wound too many children.