Mass Violence Needs Assessment Project

Mass violence has profound and long-lasting effects on direct victims/survivors, in communities where mass violence incidents (MVIs) occur, and among those involved in planning and implementing response and recovery efforts. Having sound data about problems, needs, and strengths of these groups is essential to improve MVI planning, response, and recovery, so the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center (NMVVRC) previously conducted needs assessment surveys with probability samples of adults from six communities that experienced MVIs (N=5991), from Flint MI (N=1992) that experienced the Flint Water Crisis, a large environmental crime, with 158 direct victims/survivors identified via their participation in the aforementioned community surveys, and from adults (N=177) who were direct victims/survivors of the 2017 MVI in Las Vegas. The purpose of this project is to augment these existing data by conducting new needs assessment surveys with 1500 direct victims/survivors of several MVIs and interviews with 100 key informants. The project team consists of researchers and dissemination experts from the NMVVRC and the Boston University School of Public Health, as well as Abt Associates, a national public opinion research firm that collected previous needs assessment data and will collect the new data. The project goals and objectives for analyzing and reporting the resulting combined data are to: 1) determine whether there are community or individual factors that impact victims’ experiences during and after an MVI and, if so, suggest actionable information to better serve victims; 2) examine select communities where MVIs occurred and analyze information from the communities, victims, and key stakeholders; and 3) provide information to OVC, victim service and mental health providers, public health professionals, and other relevant organizations about the findings that will lead to better outcomes for victims. Deliverables for the project include: 1) analysis and written reports on existing data from the needs assessment surveys; 2) reports or tip sheets covering “ripple effects” of MVIs on communities; 3) reports and recommendations from collecting and analyzing new data from needs assessment surveys of 1500 MVI direct victims/survivors and with 100 key stakeholders; and 4) tip sheets, reports, and possible screening tools and other products that provide actionable information about the study and its findings to OVC, victim service providers, medical/mental health/public health providers, first responders, and others. The project is expected to benefit direct victims/survivors of crime, communities in which MVIs occur, and those who serve MVI victims/survivors.