Jan 2021
Reducing Crime Through Environmental Design: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment of Street Lighting in New York City
Topics
Methodologies
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.
Topics
Methodologies
Coming April 21, 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.
Valuing the benefits of reducing firearm violence in the United States
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
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.
United States Surgeon General’s Advisory on Firearm Violence in America
United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a landmark advisory declaring firearm violence in America to be a public health crisis with devastating and far-reaching consequences for the nation’s health and well-being.
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.
