Strategies and Interventions A number of interventions were conceived to address the problem, including legal regulations, problem-oriented operations, educational and social support services, and gun buyback programs. Problem-oriented policing The initiative chosen for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the approach is the Cease Fire operation. The reported success of the operation resulted in the wide adoption of its elements. Thus, by determining its efficiency, we can safely assume that its derivatives are at least to some extent as effective as source material. Besides, the popularity of the enterprise coupled with the weakness of the original research aimed at its evaluation led to speculations regarding the inadequacy of the reports. This, in turn, triggered a series of independent inquiries. Thus, Boston’s Cease-Fire operation remains one of the most rigorously researched problem-oriented initiatives. In other words, its analysis is both reliable and relevant. Operation Ceasefire was a joint effort of the Boston Police Department and several communities and public organizations to address the unusually high crime rate associated with youth gangs. The law enforcement organizations explicitly demonstrated the policy of zero tolerance regarding gun violence and other criminal activities by “pulling every level,” i.e. utilizing every legally available punitive action. Simultaneously, the community groups created plausible alternatives to occupy youth and provided help for both victims of violence and former gang members. As a result, the reports indicated a two-thirds decrease in gun violence in the region. Admittedly, subsequent studies suggest a successful decrease of only 31% compared to the initial situation (Braga, Hureau, & Papachristos, 2014a). However, the same source provides additional insights which strengthen the position of the event as a successful preventive measure. First, the results indicate a long-term effect: individuals who were subject to the “level-pulling” strategy tend to reduce the gun violence after the said influence is over (Braga et al., 2014a). Second, the study distinguishes the gun violence exerted by the groups which were directly impacted by the intervention from those who were only indirectly exposed to it, which can be interpreted as proof of the proxy effect adding value to the intervention. Overall, the updated results still suggest the high effectiveness of the problem-oriented approach, especially given its long-lasting effect. It is important to note that the participation of the community groups adds a public health factor, the weight of which in the current setting is unclear. Hot Spots Policing Another approach that gradually gains popularity is the increased attention to the so-called “hot spots,” the locations associated with a higher incidence of firearm usage. The intuitive approach to the problem is to allocate more law enforcement resources to the problematic areas. This approach, however, is controversial for two main reasons. First, there is no clarity regarding the organization of the strengthened patrols. Second, there is a possibility that the perpetrators react to the increased patrolling by moving away from the location. Nevertheless, some evidence exists that confirms the validity of the approach. A study by Rosenfeld, Deckard, and Blac