A recent Temple study found that gun violence surged as the Covid-19 pandemic worsened poverty, unemployment, and structural racism. Poverty and a lack of jobs leads to desperation; desperation can lead to gun violence.

Over the course of our reporting, we heard this over and over again, that a key part of driving down gun violence is increasing job opportunities for the men most likely to fall into the illegal economy. We spent the past year talking to one organization that is trying to do exactly that.