The program utilizes three community agencies to teach students, in three lessons, about gun laws and the consequences of carrying and using a gun. On the first day, a local medical professional discusses gunshot injuries with the students. Using actual photographs and emergency room equipment as props, the medical professional dispels the common myths about gunshot trauma, immediate and long-term physical and emotional consequences for victims, families and the community. A review of local and national gun violence statistics is included. The second lesson, taught by a Commonwealth s Attorney, focuses on the legal ramifications associated with the possession and use of firearms.
Students interact with each other using a series of hypothetical incidents.
Penalties and the impact on family and friends are a part of each scenario. On the third day the police officer talks with the students about choices. Using a video, the officer discusses gun violence facts and provides a workbook containing names and telephone numbers of community resources available to young people. Class Action is a youth oriented, law-based crime prevention curriculum designed to provide middle students with some working knowledge of the law. The expectation is that students would use this knowledge to make better decisions about their behavior.