Jan 2021

Reducing Crime Through Environmental Design: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment of Street Lighting in New York City

Lucie Parker Aaron Chalfin

This paper offers novel experimental evidence that violent crimes can be successfully reduced by changing the situational environment that potential victims and offenders face. We focus on a ubiquitous but understudied feature of the urban landscape—street lighting—and report the first experimental evidence on the effect of street lighting on crime.

Related Resources
Economic Club of Chicago- Chicago’s Safety Snapshot: Issues and Opportunities
Presentation

Economic Club of Chicago- Chicago’s Safety Snapshot: Issues and Opportunities

Sep 2023

These slides were presented by the Crime Lab at a forum hosted by the Economic Club and Commercial Club of Chicago.

Violence Reduction Dashboard
Dashboard

Violence Reduction Dashboard

Jul 2023
Webinar: Overview of the City of Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard
Video

Webinar: Overview of the City of Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard

Jul 2023

Launched in May 2021 by the City of Chicago, with design and technical support from the Crime Lab, the Dashboard is a first-of-its-kind comprehensive tool that allows unfettered public access to city violence trends categorizable by victim type, date, and geographic area.

Machine Learning Can Predict Shooting Victimization Well Enough To Help Prevent It
Academic Paper

Machine Learning Can Predict Shooting Victimization Well Enough To Help Prevent It

May 2023

This National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper shows that shootings are predictable enough to be preventable.

Latest Updates

Jens Ludwig – Can Behavioral Science Reduce Crime?
Event
SNS
Mar 2024

Jens Ludwig – Can Behavioral Science Reduce Crime?

In this seminar, Faculty Director Jens Ludwig presented his SNS report titled “Using Behavioral Science to Reduce Crime and School Dropout” and participated in a panel discussion as part of the Institute for International Economic Studies/SNS International Policy talks.

Playing The Long Game: How To Find The Right Partner For Your Nonprofit
Media Mention
Forbes
Mar 2024

Playing The Long Game: How To Find The Right Partner For Your Nonprofit

Mike Shaver, President and CEO of Brightpoint, highlights the Crime Lab’s collaboration with Brightpoint and other nonprofits to evaluate their community violence prevention work.

The Gun Violence Prevention Forum
Event
Northwell Health
Feb 2024

The Gun Violence Prevention Forum

Crime Lab Director of Programs Kim Smith spoke at the 5th Annual Gun Violence Prevention Forum on February 27, 2024. This virtual event mobilized the collective efforts of leading executives, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers around gun violence as a public health emergency.