2018

The First Ten: A Decade of Impact at the University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab

We are pleased to share our report, The First Ten: A Decade of Impact at the University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab. While there is no way to adequately express our gratitude to the extraordinary people and organizations with whom we have worked over the last decade, we offer this report as a tribute to you all.

We started the University of Chicago Crime Lab in 2008 and the Education Lab in 2011 because of the unconscionable levels of gun violence and social inequity in Chicago and across the nation. We firmly believed that the University of Chicago was in a position to do more to be a part of the solution.

Over the last decade, we have sought to use rigorous research and data to pursue answers, insights, and scalable solutions, working closely with those most deeply affected by gun violence and educational inequity. To do this work, we joined forces with those already developing and implementing promising ideas across the public, non-profit, and private sectors. We’ve tried our best to approach this work with humility, honesty, vigor, and a seriousness of purpose.

Related Resources
Empirical Analysis of Prediction Mistakes in New York City Pretrial Data
Academic Paper

Empirical Analysis of Prediction Mistakes in New York City Pretrial Data

Feb 2024
Brookings Institution Commentary: Making the invisible epidemic visible
Research Brief

Brookings Institution Commentary: Making the invisible epidemic visible

Aug 2023

Using new data from a large urban trauma center in Chicago, we document substantial under-reporting of domestic violence at the time of receiving medical care.

Video about the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program
Video

Video about the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program

Jun 2023

This video provides an overview of the Crime Lab’s evaluation of the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program, a program implemented by the community behavioral health provider Thresholds.

NADP Research Brief
Research Brief

NADP Research Brief

Jun 2023

Research Brief for the Narcotics Arrest Diversion Program.

Latest Updates

We can do more to stop gun violence, with more support for community intervention
Op-Ed
Chicago Sun Times
Sep 2024

We can do more to stop gun violence, with more support for community intervention

In a commentary published by the Chicago Sun-Times, Vaughn Bryant and Paul Carrillo cite Crime Lab data showing that each dollar invested into community violence intervention programs provides between $4 and $20 of social good in return.

Cities are increasingly embracing violence interventions programs to control deadly violence
Media Mention
Route Fifty
Sep 2024

Cities are increasingly embracing violence interventions programs to control deadly violence

Route Fifty covers the Crime Lab’s evaluation of READI Chicago – a violence intervention initiative that provides those most at risk of gun violence with supported job and cognitive-behavioral programming.

How Chicagoans are tackling gun violence
Podcast
Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons
Aug 2024

How Chicagoans are tackling gun violence

Kim Smith, Director of Programs at the University of Chicago Crime Lab joins WBEZ’s Reset podcast with Sasha-Ann Simons to discuss solutions to gun violence.