Effective violence prevention draws upon the best theory and practice of a variety of disciplines to shape a cohesive interdisciplinary approach across the lifecycle and from the individual to the community to the policymaker. Violence prevention involves both local communities and the global communities. Programs and Perspectives . In general there has been a broad shift in the field from approaches that focus on the control of violence, to those that concentrate on prevention , to more recent perspectives that aim to rebuild communities . More than one approach can be used simultaneously and often well-established approaches are combined with more innovative ones.
Criminal justice is one of the most widely established approaches to addressing violence.
It focuses on deterrence and control of violence through higher rates of arrest, conviction, and punishment, facilitated by judicial, police, and penal reform. More successful in reducing crime than in reducing social and political violence. The public health approach also well-established focuses on violence at individual and interpersonal levels. This approach aims to prevent violence by reducing individual risk factors. It draws on epidemiological surveillance especially homicide rates and identification of risk factors to develop strategies for modifying individual behavior, the social and physical environment, or both.