In July 2023, the Wilson Center conducted nine focus groups and two individual interviews, with a total of 30 participants who live in the ShotSpotter pilot area in Durham, North Carolina. Participants were asked to discuss their perceptions of safety, gun violence, policing in their neighborhoods, ShotSpotter technology, and changes in policing or violence since the ShotSpotter pilot began. This report summarizes and analyzes those findings and identifies key policy considerations for the City as they weigh whether to continue ShotSpotter.
By Pilar Kelly, Angie Weis Gammell, and Lindsay Bass-Patel.