On Sight: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Analysis of a Gun Violence Intervention

Gun violence is a leading cause of death among youth in the United States, and effective prevention requires community engagement and cultural alignment. This exploratory mixed-methods pilot study examined whether On Sight, a performance-based violence-prevention intervention guided by the Johnson Model of Forensic Sociology, could mobilize communities, identify indication needs, and demonstrate alignment before implementation. This study analyzed de-identified registration data from 1315 eligible adults and 34 adult post-event records. Analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Pearson correlations, logistic regression, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Among adult registrants, 54.3% reported low emotional-regulation tools, 38.9% reported low violence-avoidance tools, 23.0% reported low confidence, and 61.1% reported at least one low skill or confidence indicator. Youths aged 18–25 and male respondents had higher odds of endorsing that youth need guns for safety, while both groups had lower odds of low confidence than their respective reference groups. Emotional-regulation tools, violence-avoidance tools, and confidence formed a connected skill-based indication profile, while youth gun-safety endorsement represented a distinct safety-belief domain. Qualitative themes included relational pedagogy, skill uptake, humor-mediated engagement, cultural and youth resonance, and perceived utility. Assessing Intervention Capital may help violence-prevention programs determine whether an intervention can mobilize communities, identify indication needs, and demonstrate alignment before implementation.