Jan 2021

Reducing Crime Through Environmental Design: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment of Street Lighting in New York City

Lucie Parker Aaron Chalfin

This paper offers novel experimental evidence that violent crimes can be successfully reduced by changing the situational environment that potential victims and offenders face. We focus on a ubiquitous but understudied feature of the urban landscape—street lighting—and report the first experimental evidence on the effect of street lighting on crime.

Related Resources
Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence
Other

Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence

Apr 2025

Crime Lab Pritzker Director Jens Ludwig authored a book that argues 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.

Local Gun Violence Dashboards
Data Tool

Local Gun Violence Dashboards

Jan 2025

Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard, launched by the Crime Lab in 2021, is featured in a toolkit created by Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund as a part of its Gun Violence Data Fellowship.

Valuing the benefits of reducing firearm violence in the United States
Academic Paper

Valuing the benefits of reducing firearm violence in the United States

Jan 2025

This paper estimates the monetized value of the impact of reducing firearm violence and how that value is distributed across the population.

IL Office of Firearm Violence Prevention
Data Tool

IL Office of Firearm Violence Prevention

Jul 2024

The University of Chicago Crime Lab has partnered with the Illinois Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) in support of the OFVP’s goal to use data to focus resources. The Crime Lab prepared the following interactive map to support the RPSA Youth Development Services grantmaking process.

Latest Updates

Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence
Announcement
UChicago Crime Lab
Apr 2025

Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence

Crime Lab Pritzker Director Jens Ludwig authored a book that argues 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.

A History of Violence
Media Mention
Chicago Magazine
Apr 2025

A History of Violence

Chicago Magazine’s Paula Kamen profiles Crime Lab Pritzker Director Jens Ludwig to discuss his new book, “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence,” which offers social policy strategies for creating safer communities.

Editorial: A recognition that good policing starts from the top
Op-Ed
Crain's Chicago Business
Apr 2025

Editorial: A recognition that good policing starts from the top

The Crain’s Editorial Board highlights a $15 million gift from the Sue Ling Gin Foundation to support the Crime Lab in adapting its Policing Leadership Academy to provide management training to the Chicago Police Department’s leadership ranks.