Report finds Tennessee cities failing to address the root causes of gun violence, compounded by federal cuts

Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga have some of the highest rates of gun violence in the nation, but the cities are not tackling the underlying causes, according to a report from the nonprofit Community Justice.

In it’s annual Violence Prevention Index, Community Justice assesses 100 cities by three categories — programs for intervention and risk reduction, resources for addressing underlying factors that contribute to violence like housing and food insecurity, and whether the city has a dedicated office of violence prevention.

Community Justice argues it’s more important than ever to assess what cities are doing to address violence, as the Trump administration has slashed funding for violence intervention programs. The administration canceled $145 million of federal grants un