Behavioral Science
By learning more about human decision-making in stressful situations, behavioral science can help us identify better ways to deal with the harms created by gun violence and a broken criminal justice system — and can help prevent these harms before they occur.
Behavioral science, which seeks to better understand human decision-making, is helping public safety researchers learn more about why individuals are vulnerable to automatic behaviors during high-stress situations — for example, why an individual might pull a trigger when an argument spirals out of control. Behavioral science gives us a new framework through which to view the consequences of difficult situations. This understanding of “criminal behavior” as “human behavior” gives us new tools we can use to reduce violence and promote justice.
The Crime Lab is developing and evaluating programs that provide behavioral science-informed training and supports to individuals at-risk of violence involvement as well as former offenders, police officers, prosecutors, judges, and others involved in the criminal justice system.
Latest Updates
CPD chief graduates Crime Lab academy
The Hamilton County Herald covers Chattanooga Police Department Chief John Chambers’ graduation from the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s Policing Leadership Academy (PLA), an education program dedicated to reducing violent crime and improving police effectiveness.
Canceled by Tarrant County, this advocacy program remakes itself to still help at-risk kids
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram cites a policy brief from the Crime Lab which shows that two years after going through Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) programming, youth are 39 percent less likely to have been arrested for a violent crime than youth who did not go through the program.
Strides for Peace Expo Inspires Chicago to Unite Against Gun Violence
Strides for Peace executive director Joel Hamernick cited Crime Lab research during the Second Annual Strides for Peace Gun Violence Prevention Expo showing that students who transfer schools twice during high school are 80% more likely to become involved in gun violence.
