Nov 2025
Why Might READI Chicago Work to Reduce Gun Violence? Qualitative Evidence from the Field
Building on a body of evidence showing that behavioral science-informed programs can reduce violence among youth and adults, this report highlights findings from a qualitative analysis to understand what mechanisms and components of programs–like READI Chicago–influence outcomes.
CVI Leadership Academy: Application Information Session
View and download materials from the CVI Leadership Academy’s application information session.
On My OHM™: A Reset for Real Ones
Kheperah Kearse, Chief Wellness Officer at LIFE Camp, Inc., penned a resource for CVI leaders focused on self-regulation and wellness practices.
Video: The CVI Leadership Academy’s Third Cohort
This video features insights from the third cohort of the Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy, a violence reduction program created to enhance the leadership and management skills of senior CVI leaders, enabling them to effectively run community-based organizations.
Video: U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois visits the Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (Illinois) visited with the third cohort of the CVI Leadership Academy to discuss opportunities to invest in CVI at the state and local level.
Latest Updates
Webinar Recording: Validating CJA’s Updated Release Assessment
Crime Lab Senior Research Director Greg Stoddard provided remarks at a New York City Criminal Justice Agency (CJA) webinar on the latest validation study of CJA’s release assessment tool. The release assessment, developed in partnership with the Crime Lab, is an interview used by trained staff members to estimate whether someone will return to court if released pretrial.
Curbing gun violence in Chicago doesn’t require that we first end poverty
Crime Lab leaders Katie Hill and Jens Ludwig penned an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune highlighting the root causes of gun violence and the growing body of research showing that increased neighborhood vibrancy generates surprisingly large changes in the prevalence of gun violence, by as much as 30%.
A fighting chance
In The University of Chicago Magazine’s Fall ’25 issue, Susie Allen profiles Crime Lab Pritzker Director Jens Ludwig to discuss his book, “Unforgiving Places,” which challenges conventional wisdom on gun violence and suggests new approaches to solving the problem.
