Philadelphia has gained a reputation in the past few years as a hub of homicide. Hardly living up to its promise of brotherly love, the city has been grimly nicknamed “Kill”-adelphia, for it has one of the highest murder rates in the nation. A couple weeks ago, New York Times reporter Jon Hurdle discussed a hospital-based program based in Philadelphia called Cradle to Grave, which seeks to educate teenage students about the dangers of gun violence and ultimately temper the homicide rate in the city. The program may seem controversial, as it exposes students to the grisly reality of shooting victims, but I personally commend the efforts of Temple University Hospital and believe the program could have a positive impact on its participants.
Cradle to Grave is a comprehensive program that addresses gun violence’s many implications. Since the program began in 2006, more than 7,000 Philadelphia students have participated. Participation includes a tour of the ambulance bay, learning morgue terminology, reviewing cases of actual gunshot victims and hearing recordings of those victims’ families. The directors are not afraid to be honest and get personal — students are sometimes asked to play the part of the victim while lying on a gurney, asked to listen to details about the drastic and painful measures doctors will take to try to save a life and asked to make a list of all the people they would miss if they were shot.
Though the Cradle to Grave program may seem drastic, it can be easily justified by precedent. We have tried to combat other issues through demonstrative intervention, so why not employ the same tactics for gun violence? When teen pregnancy rates became concerning, we implemented sexual education classes. We encouraged teenagers to be safe by shocking them with the symptoms of STIs and discussing the gravity of unplanned pregnancies. We’ve implemented “scared straight” programs for drug use, texting while driving, drinking on prom night — every problem affecting young teens today.
I know from personal experience that programs such as Cradle to Grave can have a lasting emotional impact and can be entirely convincing. When I was in high school, we visited the state penitentiary and sat down with convicted felons in small groups. Among us were armed robbers and murderers, who volunteered their time to tell us their stories: where they had gone wrong, their regrets and lessons learned and what their lives were like in prison. If that experience taught me anything, it was that life and freedom are fragile things. You can be a good person with good intentions, and your life can still be filled with mistakes and bad experiences. You need to be careful about the choices you make and the people with whom you associate. Arguably, you should try to keep yourself safe without ever employing violence. Although my experience was not identical to Cradle to Grave’s gun-violence seminar, I do believe it was analogous.
The program is intense, but I don’t think that makes it inherently bad or inappropriate. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’m glad the coordinators are treating young students with such respect, and trusting their ability to handle the truth. The program may be brutal, but it is also informative. If we allow our children be exposed to gun violence through television, music and video games, why not through education? Kids deserve to know the reality of guns, rather than merely observing their glamorized side.
Will we truly be able to curb gun violence simply by teaching students “guns are dangerous”? Maybe not. It is too soon to argue success on that front, especially since most of the students leaving the program still thought people should be able to own guns for self-defense. This finding is not unexpected: many years of healing and change will be necessary before Philadelphia residents feel safe. You may not convince students or their families to stop carrying or using guns right away, but you may garner within them a sense of urgency, obligation, and sympathy. They may be more hesitant to shoot or to put themselves into a dangerous situation. They may feel drawn to helping their peers who have been affected by a gun tragedy. They may be able to better understand the horrors of being shot or losing a loved one and be inspired to work in health care or counseling. Over time, I think reality checks such as Cradle to Grave will change patterns in gun usage and people’s attitudes.
Gun violence permeates the lives of young children in urban areas. Chuck Williams, a Drexel University professor, spoke of the vicious cycle of hopelessness and despair that exists in cities such as Philadelphia, saying that gun violence “is a people problem, not a government problem”. While I don’t entirely agree, I do appreciate the sentiment, and I believe you can change people’s minds about issues like guns with a grassroots approach. In Philadelphia, gun violence is a pressing issue, and I’m glad health officials have taken measures to address it. I encourage many other cities to follow their example.
Ashley Spinks is a columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at a.spinks@cavalierdaily.com.
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