“The goal of this forum is to understand the phenomenon of urban violence from a sociological and psychological perspective, looking at causes and effects,” said Richard F. Summers, MD, Associate Director of Education for Residency Training and Clinical Associate Professor in Penn’s Department of Psychiatry. “There will be a particular focus on the role of trauma as a factor in the etiology of violence.”

A distinguished panel of experts in the areas of sociology, psychiatry, law, and criminology from Penn, the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia, and the City of Philadelphia.

• Elijah Anderson, The Charles and William Day Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania
• Jennifer M. Bonovitz, Training and Supervising Analyst in the child and adult divisions, Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia
• Paul Jay Fink, Psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and expert in child development, including childhood trauma and abuse. Chair, Youth Homicide Committee, City of Philadelphia
• Richard James Gelles, Dean of the School of Social Policy & Practice; the Joanne and Raymond Welsh Chair of Child Welfare and Family Violence; Director for the Center for Research on Youth & Social Policy and Co-Director of the Field Center for Children’s Policy Practice & Research, University of Pennsylvania
• Wendell E. Pritchett, Associate Dean of the Law School and Associate Professor of Law concentrating on Legal History, Environmental Law, and Property Law, University of Pennsylvania
• Lawrence W. Sherman, Albert M. Greenfield Professor of Human Relations in the Department of Sociology and Director of the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania