Community-based violence prevention in Philadelphia, PA: a comparative health justice analysis

In the United States, firearm violence is concentrated among structurally marginalized communities, yet prevention efforts have long centered on approaches that leave those conditions largely intact. This thesis examines a range of violence prevention programs in Philadelphia to explore how different models conceptualize violence and engage affected communities. Focusing on community-based approaches, it compares interventions across multiple domains, including trauma-informed support services, violence interruption, healthcare-based programs, youth development, policy advocacy, and media-based initiatives. Through a health justice and bioethical lens, this analysis argues that community-based interventions offer both practical and ethical advantages. By grounding their work in lived experience and local context, these models are better positioned to respond to the conditions that sustain violence. At the same time, ethical engagement requires more than the inclusion of community voices; it depends on material support and collaborative structures that enable meaningful participation without shifting responsibility onto those most affected. Approaches that rely primarily on enforcement are limited in their ability to address underlying causes and raise concerns related to equity and the distribution of harm. This study contributes to ongoing discussions in public health and health justice by emphasizing that reducing violence requires not only improved interventions, but a shift in whose knowledge shapes them.