Cease Fire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cease Fire - Research Paper Example Public health issues are diverse and dynamic, and they also impact differently communities and societies. Dr. Gary Slutkin, the person behind the project that saw the establishment of the CeaseFire program, holds that violence is a critical public health issue yet the most relatively ignored (Wilson & Petersilia, 2011). He also maintains that violence is deeply rooted in behavior and can, therefore, be prevented through changes in behavioral norms. In this respect, the program heavily depends on the intervention of outreach workers in the event of violence or conflicts in the streets. The duty and responsibility of these workers is to interrupt conflicting parties and mitigate conflicts that are likely to result in violence. The planned behavior theory can essentially explain the causes and trends in street violence. The variables that inform the theory of planned behavior include attitude towards a behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (Weisburd & Braga, 2006). The intentions of a behavior are critically linked to an individual’s beliefs. Therefore, street violence is driven by individual behavior in regard to the intentions and beliefs of the gangs or any other person who engages in street conflicts and violence. The anti-violence advocacy by the CeaseFire program in the benefiting communities targets behavior change in order to achieve its objectives. The process of changing behavioral norms must identify the subject matter and all its variables before addressing the underlying issue (House of Commons, 2008). Stakeholders must first identify the behavior that needs to be changed in order to act accordingly. Anti-violence advocacy and conflict mitigation at the street level have to change the mindset, beliefs, and behaviors of gangs and all other persons who engage in street violence, and that is essentially the role of interrupters in the