Book Review: Bleeding out: The devastating consequences of urban violence—and a bold new plan for peace in the streets

• Author: Shelly Nightengale
• Published date: 01 September 2022
• Date: 01 September 2022
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/07340168211012037

Englewood neighborhood in Chicago, the author tests the connection of violence and its impact on a

youth’s mental and physical health, aggressive behavior, school success, peer relationships, drug use,

and risky sexual behaviors. Based on findings from nine other studies, the author posited the level of

violence affected the mental and physical health of youths faced with violence than those who are not

exposed to. Similarly, with mental and physical health, the author found youths exposed to violence

reported high aggressive behavior, low school success rate, high drug use, and exposure to risky

sexual behaviors when compared to those who are not exposed to violence.

In Section 2, Chapter 6, the author relates how violence and sex are entangled. Using four focus group

interviews which comprised of 54 parental figures, Voisin examines the opinions of these figures whose

children have been direct or indirect victims of violence. The parental figures believed that neighborhood

violence had an impact on the youths’influence for engaging in sexual activities, shaped the sexual iden-

tities of the youths, and gangs had an impact on the youths’sexual interaction. In Chapter 7, the author

discusses findings for coping with violence in Woodlawn which is a low income and racially segregated

neighborhood. A qualitative study with 32 Black students examined how these individuals cope with vio-

lence. The author found that these youths cope by avoiding certain places and employing self-defense

techniques. In the last section, in Chapter 8, the author presents policy implications and the inclusion

of evidence-based programs in solving neighborhood violence. Voisin concludes in Chapter 9 with out-

reach programs that have been implemented by the city and University of Chicago alongside community

partnerships. Voisin posits the need for policies and macrolevel interventions that are focused on prevent-

ing neighborhood violence in Black communities in Chicago.

Overall, the book is informative on the reality of violence in Black neighborhood specifically in

South Side Chicago and the negative effects on families. While there are limitations to the data uti-

lized in this project due to bias and the author’s positionality with race. This book is ideal for prac-

titioners and researchers who intend to learn and study violence in Black communities.

Abt, T. (2019). Bleeding out: The devastating consequences of urban violence—and a bold new plan for peace in the

streets. Basic Books. 310 pp. $30.00. ISBN 9781541645721.

Reviewed by: Shelly Nightengale, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA

DOI: 10.1177/07340168211012037

In Bleeding Out, Thomas Abt conveys a clear sense of urgency about urban violence through met-

aphor, a man has been shot in his leg and is on a hospital gurney. Abt weaves this story throughout his

book by establishing principles on what should be addressed immediately with urban violence to stop

the bleeding—metaphorically with the man’s leg and literally in society. Abt’s expertise comes from

his background as a government official specializing in evidence-based approaches to reducing crime

in urban areas. He currently serves as a lecturer and researcher at the Harvard Kennedy School of

Government.

Abt defines “urban violence”as lethal killings primarily related to gun violence, which excludes

“sexual violence or violence between intimate partners or family members”(p. 6). He says if com-

munities can focus on urban violence, there will be a trickle-down effect in reducing challenges with

poverty, nonviolent crimes, and education. In addition, Abt declares that unless urban violence is

addressed first and urgently, then other “wounds”(i.e., poverty) will only deepen and become

more threatening. Providing impetus to the conversation, Bleeding Out begins with explaining the

problem of urban violence. The book follows with treatment strategies for urban violence and con-

cludes by providing the readers with actionable steps on moving the discussion forward. Abt presents

Book Reviews407