On this episode of Public Health America, Dr. Latimer speaks with Richard Garland MSW, Assistant Professor of Public Health Practice at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate of Public Health. Mr. Garland’s research centers on working with troubled youth, especially those involved in gangs and gun violence. He also works with police departments and community-based organizations throughout the state of Pennsylvania providing gun violence education and training. During this segment Mr. Garland discusses how the pandemic has contributed to the rise in violence because people are not as patient as they used to be. He discusses that people are very reactive, and a lot of feuds are starting on social media, which has been used more than ever due to pandemic quarantines. Richard Garland’s team takes a public health approach to this by looking at violence as a disease that must be prevented and treated to stop the spread. This involves having trusted people from a community work as outreach workers interrupting violence and having more programming going on in urban communities to give meaningful activities and career paths to kids and adults. 08/02/2022.
