The Trace
By Administrator
A nonprofit online news outlet focused exclusively on researching and reporting gun violence, The Trace incorporates possible solutions to the gun violence epidemic into their reporting. They believe that the gun violence problem is exacerbated by lack of knowledge.
They divide this lack of knowledge into four elements:
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US residents lack awareness of how many lives are lost by firearms
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the national conversation is missing the big picture–headlines are focused on mass shootings, but they only comprise 2% of gun deaths
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gun violence data and records do not exist or are not public
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the NRA operates in secrecy, distributes misinformation, and has increasing political influence
The Trace is remedying this lack of knowledge and understanding by making the problem clear. For example, they have created an interactive map with every incidence of gun violence in the US. They also explore gun myths and assumptions to see if they are valid, and offer possible solutions to mitigate gun violence. An important part of their work is reporting on how the NRA uses its weight and influence to squash legislation paired with stories that help readers know what to do about it.
The Trace is focusing on a critical issue during a critical point in time, and doing it rationally and responsibly.