Violence and fear of violence are major factors that undermine health and worsen health disparities, and this fact sheet describes violence and lack of safety as a health equity issue.

Partnerships are a key for ensuring that all children in Chicago are safe, healthy and educated, says Christopher Mallette, formerly of the Office of the Mayor. Mallette describes the benefits of ongoing communication between different city agencies in this publication, part of the UNITY City Voices and Perspectives series. Read Partnerships to Prevent Violence in Chicago for an example of how collaboration enhances local efforts to prevent violence.

In partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and Safe States Alliance, UNITY hosted a meeting of state health officials in May 2011 on preventing violence in U.S. cities. The meeting synthesis features the best thinking of state health leaders such as John Auerbach, Massachusetts commissioner and president of ASTHO. Key recommendations that emerged for state health agencies include: Reframe public perception of violence and of perpetrators. Monitor trends and take advantage of opportunities to connect violence with any related issue that gains momentum

Neighborhood networks form the core of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, and Director Mariko Lockhart describes the Initiative's collaborative approach and how to measure outcomes in this publication, part of the City Voices and Perspectives series. Read "City Voices and Perspectives: Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative" to learn how successful partnerships can reduce and prevent violence.

Violence has far-reaching consequences for young people, families and neighborhoods, beyond serious physical injury and death. These fact sheets describe how violence affects other health problems and community concerns, such as chronic diseases, mental illness and poor learning. Children who are scared at school cannot focus on learning, for example, and people are less likely to be active if the local park isn't safe. These fact sheets were designed to persuade educators and those in health, public health and mental health that violence can undermine the work of all sectors, and that

Navigating the politics of evaluation is one component of Policy Priorities for Preventing Violence. Susan Lee of Advancement Project describes Los Angeles's comprehensive solution to gang violence, presents compelling evidence about primary prevention, and discusses ways that community advocates can work together with policymakers to make cities safer for everyone.

James Mercy explains how violence literally makes people sick and he recommends solutions to the problem in "Prevent Violence for Better Public Health," part of the Making the Case series. "Violence is as much a health problem as a criminal justice problem," says Dr. Mercy, acting director of the Division of Violence Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Mercy makes a compelling case for how preventing violence is crucial for healthy communities in "Prevent Violence for Better Public Health."

Kamala Harris, the California attorney general, detailed her Smart on Crime approach during a UNITY webinar in 2010 when she was San Francisco's district attorney. Read excerpts from her conversation with UNITY Co-Chair Larry Cohen for insight into the perspective of California's chief law officer. Harris explains how preventing violence is a smart way to promote public safety, and she shares innovative city strategies to reduce recidivism and keep kids in school.

Urban Networks to Increase Thriving Youth (UNITY) builds support for effective, sustainable efforts to prevent violence before it occurs, so that urban youth can thrive in safe environments with ample opportunities and supportive relationships. The UNITY Overview provides an introduction to UNITY's mission, activities and its public health approach to preventing violence.

The UNITY Policy Platform, released in December 2010, is a summary of The UNITY Urban Agenda for Preventing Violence Before it Occurs: Bringing a Multi-Sector Prevention Approach to Scale in U.S. Cities, developed in partnership with the UNITY City Network. The UNITY Urban Agenda was endorsed by representatives from 13 U.S. cities in April 2010 and is available here. For more information or to sign on, contact the UNITY team at Prevention Institute by calling (510) 444-7738 or emailing unity-at-preventioninstitute.org.