Tackling Gun Violence And the Scars It Leaves

The District does provide some therapy options. The day after four students were shot outside Ballou High School on Jan. 22, D.C. public school officials sent social workers and Department of Mental Health counselors, a typical response to violence or death that affects a school, said Mafara Hobson, a schools spokeswoman. But therapy for students affected by events outside school comes only at the request of a parent, teacher or principal, she said -- a system that Barnes called inadequate.

Gregory Washington, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin who is publishing a paper on the findings with Howard University Professor Donna Barnes, called the survey significant because of the volume of respondents. Donna Barnes is not related to Kenneth Barnes.

"Generally, it's not that easy for researchers to get into communities to make that kind of connection," Washington said. "We're aware of the incidents of violence. What we don't know is how to successfully impact them in effective ways."

But Kenneth Barnes thinks he has an approach worth trying. He has been wooing members of the Congressional Black Caucus, such as Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.), whose district includes Prince George's communities that have struggled with violent crime.

"The traditional approach of arrest and prosecution has not worked," Wynn said. "We need to come up with a much more sophisticated way of addressing this problem."

Wynn is sponsoring the bill, which would provide at least $400 million in federal funding over three years to boost law enforcement, continue research and create community-based centers that would connect residents and survivors with social services, counselors and nonprofit organizations involved with mental health, housing and job placement. The funding would be distributed through mayor's offices and federal agencies with a goal of a 20 percent decrease in gun crime.

"You cannot have a successful approach to violence when community organizations don't talk to each other," Barnes said. "You've got to force it so everyone works together."