Community Safety Investments

Despite various shortcomings, the research team found important indicators that suggest positive benefits of the State initiatives to prevent crime and violence. When researchers analyzed violent and property index crimes (i.e., aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, and larceny), the change in crime occurrences sometimes varied by the amount of funding received. Using 2010 as the base year and tracking crime rates through 2023, researchers found that total index crimes dropped 14 percent in counties receiving funding, but index crimes grew 13 percent in counties that received no funding for the three main initiatives. Continue reading Community Safety Investments

Good Stories are not Enough

Looking through old files… I just found the notes I used for a presentation I did at a national conference on youth policy organized by the Center for the Study of Social Policy. In November 2019! Just before the whole world changed due to the pandemic and the crime surge that followed. Now, as I watch some states trying to undo good youth justice policies, maybe I should say: Told Ya So! Continue reading Good Stories are not Enough