A City Tries to Measure the Violence It’s Preventing

In Baton Rouge, a public safety experiment could help to answer a critical question: Do community efforts to reduce street violence work? New York Timesby Mark ObbiePhotographs by Dean MajdBaton Rouge, LAApril 22, 2024 … [I]n 1999, a Chicago epidemiologist named Gary Slutkin picked up an old idea of using outreach workers to mediate street disputes. Framing the problem in public health terms, he argued … Continue reading A City Tries to Measure the Violence It’s Preventing

‘Defund the Police’ Is Dead But Other Reform Efforts Thrive In U.S. Cities

“My main concern is that [politicians] don’t care about the details, they just want to have a good sound bite and a good promotional campaign,” says Jeffrey Butts, director of the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Continue reading ‘Defund the Police’ Is Dead But Other Reform Efforts Thrive In U.S. Cities

Bureau of Governmental Research — Beyond Law Enforcement: Exploring Community-Based Strategies To Make New Orleans Safer

Jeffrey Butts participated in a panel hosted by the Bureau of Governmental Research in New Orleans, discussing the potential of community-based violence prevention strategies. Continue reading Bureau of Governmental Research — Beyond Law Enforcement: Exploring Community-Based Strategies To Make New Orleans Safer