Policy and Program Evaluation
We work with government agencies and community-based partners to rigorously evaluate gun violence intervention programs and criminal justice policy reforms.
Across every project or partner, we work to generate high-quality research about the factors driving public safety trends and identify evidence-based interventions to save lives. Access to good and unbiased data is the common denominator for strong evaluation, which is why we pursue data-sharing agreements with public agencies and seek to make our own data publicly available whenever possible. We focus on policies and programs that are supporting the communities and individuals most impacted by gun violence and criminal justice system harms.
From leading randomized controlled trials — the gold standard in research — to evaluating historical and real-time data, the Crime Lab uses a variety of methods to rigorously evaluate policies and interventions.
Latest Updates
A Better Conversation on Guns
Crime Lab affiliate Megan Kang highlights the importance of addressing gun violence through meaningful conversations with gun owners, focusing on their perspectives and values to develop more effective and inclusive solutions.
Crime in Context, Locally and Nationally
Crime Lab affiliate Aaron Chalfin examines nationwide declines in murders, explores shifting crime dynamics, and underscores the importance of data-driven strategies and interventions to improve public safety.
Unforgiving Places: The Behavioral Science of Ending Gun Violence
In this talk hosted by Chicago Booth’s Think Better Speaker Series, Jens Ludwig will argue that the lack of progress in reducing gun violence ultimately stems from our having misunderstood the nature of the problem, and that behavioral science gives us a new way to understand – and solve – gun violence in America.
