The Violence Reduction Research and Practice (VRRP) Network is a partnership between the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, Princeton University, and the Public Welfare Foundation, that brings together leading practitioners and researchers to advance the violence reduction field. Co-founded by David Muhammad, Executive Director of NICJR, and Patrick Sharkey, William S. Todd Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University, the Network's mission is to identify pressing field needs, evaluate the effectiveness of current and emerging strategies, and develop forward-looking research agendas that inform both policy and practice in violence reduction efforts.
First Convening: November 2024
The inaugural VRRP Network convening gathered leading experts from community organizations, nonprofits, law enforcement, government agencies, and academic institutions to engage in deliberative dialogue aimed at advancing gun violence policy and practice solutions. The convening intentionally included diverse perspectives and cross-sector collaboration, featuring community leaders with firsthand violence intervention experience, researchers studying long-term trends, and ground-level practitioners to ensure rich dialogue bridging theory, policy, and practice. The day-long session was structured around four thematic areas that progressed from understanding root causes of gun violence to exploring solutions, with each session combining expert presentations and extended participant discussions for critical engagement and collective problem-solving.
Access the White Paper here to view the key discussions, main themes, and conclusions from the inaugural convening, along with next steps for the VRRP Network.
Participant List
- Thomas Abt, Founder and Associate Research Professor, Center for the Study and Practice of Violence Reduction at the University of Maryland
- Roseanna Ander, Executive Director, University of Chicago Crime Lab
- DeVone Boggan, Founder and CEO, Advance Peace
- Shani Buggs, Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis
- Jacquel Clemons, Director, IVVY (Interrupting Violence in Youth and Young Adults) Atlanta
- Fatimah Dreier, Executive Director, The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention
- Robin Engel, Senior Research Scientist, Ohio State University
- Paul Figueroa, Retired Assistant Chief, Oakland Police Department
- Jocelyn Fontaine, Executive Director, Black & Brown Collective for Community Solutions for Gun Violence
- Daniel Hickson, Retired Commander of the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department
- Candice C Jones, President and CEO, Public Welfare Foundation
- David Muhammad, Executive Director, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
- Andrew Papachristos, Director and John G Searle Professor, Institute of Policy Research, Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research and Science at Northwestern University
- Patrick Sharkey, William S Tod Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, Princeton University
Second Convening: October 2025
The second VRRP Network gathering convened expert researchers and practitioners for another deliberative dialogue focused on identifying and engaging individuals at the very highest risk of being involved in violence. This symposium aims to identify innovative approaches to better address gun violence; propose original research initiatives that fill critical evidence gaps; and develop strategies for identifying, translating, and disseminating existing research and applied knowledge throughout the field.
Participant List
- Jeremy Biddle, Director of Violence Reduction Policy, Crime and Justice Policy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania
- DeVone Boggan, Founder and CEO, Advance Peace
- Shani Buggs, Assistant Professor, UC Davis
- Paul Figueroa, Retired Assistant Chief, Oakland Police Department
- Jocelyn Fontaine, Executive Director, Black & Brown Collective for Community Solutions for Gun Violence
- Candice C. Jones, President and CEO, Public Welfare Foundation
- Holly Joshi, Chief of Violence Prevention, City of Oakland
- David Muhammad, Executive Director, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
- Andrew Papachristos, Director and John G. Searle Professor, Institute of Policy Research, Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research and Science at Northwestern University
- Randal Pinkett, Founder, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner, BCT Partners
- Mikaela Rabinowitz, Director of Data and Research, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
- Joseph Richardson, MPower Professor of African-American Studies, Medical Anthropology and Epidemiology, University of Maryland
- Caitlin Scott, Intelligence Analyst Supervisor, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- Patrick Sharkey, William S. Tod Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University
- Deion Sumpter, Director of Group Violence Intervention, City of Philadelphia
- Niloufer Taber, Director of Research and Policy, DC Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
- Daniel Webster, Bloomberg Professor of American Health, Johns Hopkins University
