Crime and Criminal Justice

Sentencing Reform Update: The Economic Case for the “First Step Act”

By Emily Weisburst·December 18, 2018
University of California, Los Angeles

(Click here for a larger version of the graph.)

The Issue:

When it comes to putting people behind bars, the United States is an outlier: The share of the population that is incarcerated is higher by far in the U.S. than in most other countries. Maintaining this high rate of incarceration comes at a high cost to ...
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Football, College Party Culture, and Sexual Assault

By Jason Lindo, Peter Siminski and Isaac D. Swensen·July 19, 2018
Texas A&M University, University of Technology Sydney, and Montana State University

The Issue:

Sexual assault at colleges and universities in the United States is an important and pervasive problem. The presence of alcohol is involved in a large proportion of these incidents. The federal government has increased awareness of the issue and provided guidance on efforts to prevent sexual violence ...
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Can Employment-Focused Programs Reduce Reincarceration Rates?

By Jennifer Doleac·June 29, 2018
Texas A&M University

The Issue:

Two-thirds of those released from prison are arrested again within three years. Breaking this incarceration cycle is a top policy priority, but it is unclear which programs are effective at achieving this goal. Those who are employed are less likely to reoffend, and this correlation has led many to think ...
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Access to Substance Abuse Treatment, Drug Overdose Deaths, and Crime

By Samuel R. Bondurant, Jason Lindo and Isaac D. Swensen·March 16, 2018
Texas A&M University and Montana State University

(Click here for a larger interactive version. Hover over each county to see county-specific estimates.)

The Issue:

Fueled in part by a raging opioid epidemic, drug overdose deaths have surged in the United States since 1999. More people currently die from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle accidents, as drug-related ...
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Do Police Body-Worn Cameras Reduce the Use of Force?

By Jennifer Doleac·November 17, 2017
University of Virginia

The Issue:

Public outrage following several high profile police shootings captured on cell phone videos led police departments across the nation to equip officers with body cameras. The policy aimed to improve transparency and accountability, in the hopes of reducing the use of force by police officers and thereby ...
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The Effects of ‘Ban the Box’ on the Employment of Black Men

By Amanda Agan and Jennifer Doleac·June 9, 2017
Rutgers University and University of Virginia

The Issue:

Ban the Box is a popular policy that prevents employers from asking about someone’s criminal record until late in the job application process — giving applicants an opportunity to explain their qualifications first. The policy aims to increase employment for people with criminal records, in the hopes ...
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The Economic Case for Sentencing Reform

By Emily Weisburst and Sandra Black·May 19, 2017
University of Texas, Austin

The Issue:

On May 10, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a directive instructing federal prosecutors to "charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense" in all but exceptional cases. The action constitutes a reversal of the 2013 directive issued by former Attorney General Eric Holder who had instructed ...
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Are Immigrants More Likely to Commit Crimes?

By Jennifer Doleac·February 14, 2017
Batten School, University of Virginia

The Issue:

One concern about immigration is whether immigrants are more prone to commit crimes than the native born population. This concern is not unique to the United States; it has affected policy in Europe, as a flood of immigrants has fled turmoil and war in the Middle East. But in the U.S. the issue took ...
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