The Delaware County Homicide Database is a project of Professor Lee Smithey’s “Gun Violence Prevention” class in the Peace and Conflict Studies program at Swarthmore College. We sought to combine our academic pursuits in the area of gun violence with work that was meaningful to the community around us at Swarthmore College. The result is an interactive online database of all homicides in Delaware County that draws on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report data and local journalistic reporting.
The project was developed in consultation and collaboration with Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy (now the Delaware County Chapter of Ceasefire PA) and we are especially grateful for our partnerships with Robin Lasersohn, Terry Rumsey, John Linder, and Jess Frankl. The work was inspired by the interactive map “Homicides in Philadelphia” (no longer available) produced by the Philadelphia Inquirer that has been effectively utilized by Guncrisis.org. Our goal was to produce a similar map to help inform gun violence prevention organizations in Delaware County. The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting and the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting at the Community College of Philadelphia has launched a similar dashboard detailing shootings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Throughout, the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College has provided guidance on engaged learning and research.
Other invaluable consultants, who have offered support, training, and advice include:
- Simon Elichko, Social Science Librarian, Swarthmore College
- Tony Weed, ITS, Swarthmore College
- Michael Kappeler, ITS, Swarthmore College
- Les Leach, ITS, Swarthmore College
- Jim MacMillan, Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College
- Prof. Megan Heckert, Swarthmore College
- Arto Woodley, Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College
- Ben Berger, Director, Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College
- Joy Charlton, Former Director, Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility at Swarthmore College
Student research assistants who took the course but then worked on the course beyond the class:
- Jasmine Rashid
- Evan McNall
- Michael Gross
A range of representatives from community organizations, advocacy organizations, and agencies also consulted with us in the early stages of project development and offered crucial expertise. We remain immensely grateful. Any errors with respect to this project are our own.
Contact: Prof. Lee Smithey, peacestudies@swarthmore.edu
Researchers
- Abby Saul
- Aleina Dume
- AV Lee-A-Yong
- Barbara Taylor
- Chloe Mayhue
- Chrisbet Cortes-Lopez
- Cortnie S. Belser
- Elizabeth Zack
- Evan McNall
- Gabriella Vetter
- Hamzah Qureshi
- Isabella Deanhardt
- Isabelle Andrews
- Jasmine Rashid
- Jessica Hernandez
- John Gagnon
- Jorge Padilla
- Katie Silva
- Kerry Sonia
- Lauren Knudson
- Lee Smithey
- Liz Conca
- Lucas Meyer-Lee
- Luke Neureiter
- Lydia Koku
- Madeline Daulerio
- Madison Shoraka
- Maximilian Grullon
- Maya Darst-Campbell
- Michael Gross
- Michael Nafziger
- Moises Polanco
- Molly Murphy
- Nathalie Baer Chan
- Nicole Distinto
- Obioha Okoronkwo
- Oliver Hicks
- Olivia Fey
- Olivia Robbins
- Paris Shan
- Paul Cooke
- Rachel Vogel
- Ragad Ahmad
- Robert Said
- Shelby Dolch
- Shivani Parikh
- Sophia Becker
- Sophia Moore
- Tianli Wu
- Thomas McGovern
- Zoeth Flegenheimer