Why vaccinating Scotland against violence is a never-ending task
After cuts to Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit, Karyn McCluskey, one of its founders, explains why its work is still very necessary
Public health colleagues have been urging vaccination against measles after a flurry of cases. Thanks to decades of work – comprehensive immunisation programmes, public education, and prevention efforts – we’d nearly eliminated measles.
But we don't stop vaccinating because it’s rare. We know resurgences happen. If we let our guard down, things can get worse. The same is true of violence.
I spoke in the media recently about some of the violent incidents that have dominated the headlines – particularly those involving young people. One interviewer asked if I was shocked. Yes, always. These events never become routine.
Understanding the problem
It’s what drove the work my colleague John Carnochan and I began with the Violence Reduction Unit. I’ve always said I never wanted to meet another victim’s family. Each story is different, but the devastation is the same – grief that lasts generations.
When we first spoke about taking a public health approach to violence, we often used the measles analogy. Before Covid, few people understood public health in the way they do now.
We began by understanding the problem – who, what, where, why, and how. Then we looked at risk and protective factors: family dynamics, role models, gang involvement, domestic abuse, and more. We identified interventions that worked, designed new ones based on evidence, and crucially, we scaled them up. We brought others on board – teachers, health visitors, youth workers – people who made a difference.
Here’s the thing: it works. But only with effort. It takes relationships, consistency, passion, and resilience. It takes people across the country pulling in the same direction. You need an army of people who are part of the journey.
Passion and drive are critical, and you can never take your foot off the gas, even when things get better. To create a shared vision of a Scotland where young people can grow up free from fear and full of hope, we always need to redouble our efforts. Progress has been made. But not enough.
Complex life stories
The vast majority of young people I meet are impressive, making better decisions than my generation ever did. But some need extra support. These are our ‘at risk’ children and supporting them isn’t just about money, though funding helps. It’s about having a clear, focused plan, and staying with it for the long haul.
We mustn’t make the mistake of focusing only on youth. Many of those in our courts are older, often with long, complex life stories. If we want to reduce violence in a meaningful way, we must reach them too – with evidence, intervention, and when necessary, enforcement.
I don’t often get time in interviews to explain all this. The conversation predictably gets boiled down to one simple fix. But as much as we may all wish otherwise, there isn’t one. Violence is complex, and tackling it requires multiple, sustained interventions working together.
Complacency is the enemy. Public health taught us the power of prevention. But it only works if we hold steady and stay the course. We don’t stop vaccinating because the threat feels far away – and our desire to prevent violence shouldn’t fade just because the headlines have.
We can’t wait for another epidemic. We need to keep doing the work, even when it’s quiet. Especially when it’s quiet.
Karyn McCluskey is chief executive of Community Justice Scotland