TOLEDO, Ohio — There is a greater risk of violence in places with greater disrepair, according to research on gun violence in the city of Toledo conducted by Boston University's School of Public Health.
"This is not a Toledo-specific problem," Dr. Jonathan Jay said. "In every city, in every context that experiences gun violence, there's a link with the physical environment. That's a really important place where cities and communities can make changes that can reduce gun violence."
Jay works in the school's RISE -- Research on Innovations for Safety and Equity -- Lab, which "uses data to investigate the root causes of urban health disparities and identify solutions," according to its website.
The findings argue the presence of blighted and abandoned buildings are associated with a higher risk of gun violence. Jay's research used an algorithm platform called "Shape-Up," which analyzes aerial imagery, points of interest and other factors to predict gun violence.
The study also suggests giving repair grants to homeowners and demolishing abandoned buildings as solutions to reduce the risk of violent crimes.
"These are changes that can be made right away, that can have a demonstrable impact on gun violence and on other outcomes and a lot of these are changes that we know how to do," Jay said.
Jay said the solutions are cost-beneficial, and Toledo City Council member Tiffany Preston Whitman said it's worth investigating.
"As a city, we have to make sure we're prioritizing that investment," Whitman said. "We know we have neighborhoods that have been identified by our land bank as an issue, and also by the Shape-Up data, then we should be prioritizing those areas, and working with residents to make the proper investments to address it."
Whitman said the city is taking a holistic approach to working against gun violence. These findings are just another tool used in preventing that violence.
The city of Toledo has had 55 homicides in 2022.