Violence Policy Center
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| Founded | 1988 |
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| Founder | Josh Sugarmann |
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Area served
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United States |
| Mission | The Violence Policy Center (VPC) works to stop gun death and injury through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration. |
| Website | www |
The Violence Policy Center (VPC) is an American nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control and against gun violence.
According to Josh Sugarmann, its founder, the VPC approaches violence, and firearms violence in particular, as a public health issue affecting the whole population, rather than solely a criminal matter. The VPC is known mainly for its in-depth research on the firearms industry, the causes and impacts of gun violence, and regulatory policies to reduce gun violence. The VPC advocates for gun control legislation and policy.
Since the VPC has no official membership fee, it relies on donations from the public and foundation support. The primary foundation donor to the VPC is the Joyce Foundation. The VPC publicizes its research through the news media and through coalitions with other advocacy organizations.
Using data from federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the VPC publishes annual state-by-state reports on the effects of gun violence. These include: a report on the number of females murdered by males in single victim/single offender incidents, which is published to coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October; a report on black homicide victimization; and a report on lethal Hispanic firearms victimization.
The VPC maintains a "Concealed Carry Killers" database of fatal non-self defense killings involving private citizens legally allowed to carry concealed handguns in public. The VPC also highlights mass shootings involving persons legally allowed to carry concealed handguns in public.
The database was criticized by Clayton Cramer, who claimed that the statistics were inaccurate. An article posted on the website of gun researcher John Lott's Crime Prevention Research Center questioned the numbers presented on the Concealed Carry Killers database. According to the article, suicides, which may or may not have even involved a firearm, and motor vehicle homicides caused by intoxication are included in the statistics.
The VPC has issued reports that document the gun industry's financial contributions to the NRA. In 2013, the VPC said that the firearms industry has donated between $19.3 million and $60.2 million to the NRA since 2005.
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