Preventing Violence
The Past, Present and Future of the Public Health Approach
By Keir Irwin-Rogers, Luke Billingham, Alistair Fraser, Fern Gillon, Susan McVie and Tim Newburn
Published
Jul 8, 2025Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1447373841Dimensions
216 x 140 mmImprint
Policy PressPublished
Jul 8, 2025Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1447373858Dimensions
216 x 140 mmImprint
Policy PressPublished
Jul 8, 2025Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1447373858Dimensions
216 x 140 mmImprint
Policy PressPublished
Jul 8, 2025Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1447373865Dimensions
216 x 140 mmImprint
Policy Press
Preventing Violence
Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.
Preventing Violence argues that we can move towards safer and better societies by advancing holistic public health approaches to violence prevention.
It explores the serious limitations of contemporary public health approaches and proposes an alternative path forward. Based on data from a three-year, ESRC-funded project Public Health, Youth and Violence Reduction, it also examines in-depth the work of 20 Violence Reduction Units in England and Wales.
The book makes clear recommendations for policy makers, practitioners and researchers working to prevent violence and improve the lives of children and young people.
“An important book that expertly clarifies the ‘public health’ approach and demonstrates that with the imposition of well-evidenced measures and sufficient political will, violence involving young people is not inevitable.” Anthony Ellis, University of Lincoln
Keir Irwin-Rogers is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at The Open University.
Luke Billingham is a youth and community worker at Hackney Quest and Research Associate at The Open University.
Ali Fraser is Professor of Criminology at the University of Glasgow.
Fern Gillon is Research Assistant at the Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research at the University of Strathclyde.
Susan McVie is Professor of Quantitative Criminology at the University of Edinburgh.
Tim Newburn is Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the London School of Economics.
Introduction
Part 1: A Short History of the Public Health Approach
1. Roots and Shoots of the Public Health Approach
2. Recent Developments
Part 2: Violence Reduction Units
3. Bedding In, Reaching Out
4. Aiming Upstream, Slipping Downstream
Part 3: Looking Ahead
5. Where Should We Go From Here?
