A recent study utilized acoustic sensors that pick up gunfire sounds to determine how frequently children in a particular Chicago neighborhood encounter gunshots while commuting to and from school. The findings revealed that approximately 66% of schools in the Englewood area had at least one recorded gun incident within 400 meters (about a quarter mile) of children’s walking paths during the 2021-22 academic year.
A recent study utilized acoustic sensors that pick up gunfire sounds to determine how frequently children in a particular Chicago neighborhood encounter gunshots while commuting to and from school.
The findings revealed that approximately 66% of schools in the Englewood area had at least one recorded gun incident within 400 meters (about a quarter mile) of children’s walking paths during the 2021-22 academic year.
According to Gia Barboza-Salerno, the study’s primary author and assistant professor of public health and social work at The Ohio State University, these results underscore the necessity of revising federal definitions of school gun violence to incorporate indirect forms of violence occurring near schools, rather than just on school premises. This change is essential for accurately reflecting the challenges faced by communities of color.
“Not all exposure to violence happens directly on school grounds,” Barboza-Salerno explained.
“However, that doesn’t diminish its impact. Experiencing gunfire during school commutes is frightening and can influence children’s academic performance.”
This research was recently published in the journal SSM-Population Health.
The relevance of these findings is significant, as studies link exposure to gun violence in schools with adverse student outcomes, such as lower performance on standardized tests in math and English, increased absenteeism, reduced student enrollment, and lower graduation rates.
In this research, the team discovered that acoustic sensors detected gunshots 4.5 times more frequently than police reports indicated.
This sensor data highlights the alarming rate of indirect violence that children in Englewood face, as well as potentially in other neighborhoods, noted study co-author Sharefa Duhaney, a graduate student in public health at Ohio State.
“It’s insufficient to simply install metal detectors in schools to counter violence,” Duhaney stated. “Children face violence during their commutes, and this reality must be acknowledged.”
Englewood, located on Chicago’s south side, is among the most violent neighborhoods in the United States. In 2022, it accounted for about 10% of all gun violence in Chicago. The area is predominantly Black (94%) and is one of the city’s most socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The researchers employed computational spatial network techniques to analyze the gunshot data collected by acoustic sensors situated along Safe Passage Routes for schools in the Englewood School District. These routes are established to provide safer travel paths for students going to and from school.
The study evaluated the gunshots detected during children’s morning (6-9 a.m.) and afternoon (3-6 p.m.) travel times throughout the 2021-22 school year.
The acoustic detectors recorded 610 gunshots during school days within the Englewood community. Of these, 52% occurred during afternoon commutes, while 12% took place in the morning.
The analysis indicated that 40% of Englewood schools experienced at least one gunshot incident within 400 meters of the school routes during morning hours, with 62% reporting such incidents during the afternoon.
“Hearing gunfire while at school has not traditionally been classified as ‘school gun violence,’ yet it should be,” Barboza-Salerno emphasized. “Consider the fear children must feel walking to school while hearing gunfire.”
Data analysis revealed that shooting incidents tend to cluster along city streets, including safe passage routes located around schools. The street configurations suitable for walking also attract various foot traffic, increasing the risk of violent occurrences, according to Duhaney.
“Youth in areas prone to violence are not safe along Safe Passage Program Routes,” she added.
In Englewood, a significant issue is that nearly half of the residents live in households without cars, making them reliant on public transportation and walking. Other research indicates that students feel safer traveling to school by car rather than on foot; however, this option is not available to many community members.
The researchers pointed out that while the U.S. Department of Education is tasked with compiling and reporting data on school safety, including instances of violence, the current definition of gun violence does not encompass witnessing or hearing such violence.
Furthermore, they argued that student safety discussions should extend beyond school boundaries and direct violence. Simply reinforcing schools with metal detectors and police presence will not address the issues. The researchers stressed the importance of focusing on violence prevention within the broader community.
“We are failing to tackle the root causes of violence plaguing these communities,” Barboza-Salerno remarked. “Our focus should be on addressing the underlying issues.”
Hexin Yang, a graduate student in social work and public health at Ohio State, also contributed to this study.
