Dear Colleagues, Partners, and Friends:

We are pleased to share our report, The First Ten: A Decade of Impact at the University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab. While there is no way to adequately express our gratitude to the extraordinary people and organizations with whom we have worked over the last decade, we offer this report as a tribute to you all.

We started the University of Chicago Crime Lab in 2008 and the Education Lab in 2011 because of the unconscionable levels of gun violence and social inequity in Chicago and across the nation. We firmly believed that the University of Chicago was in a position to do more to be a part of the solution.

Over the last decade, we have sought to use rigorous research and data to pursue answers, insights, and scalable solutions, working closely with those most deeply affected by gun violence and educational inequity. To do this work, we joined forces with those already developing and implementing promising ideas across the public, non-profit, and private sectors. We’ve tried our best to approach this work with humility, honesty, vigor, and a seriousness of purpose.

I know firsthand the incredible toll that the loss of a family member to violence and deep economic struggle can have on a family … but I also have been fortunate enough to experience firsthand the transformational impact of the right supports, investments, and opportunities at the right time. For me personally, the work of the Crime Lab and Education Lab has been an effort to ensure that my story is not the exception to the rule, but rather a much more common story for young people in Chicago and around the country – many of whom are facing far greater barriers to achieving their dreams. With our deep and collective commitment to action, and through our continued partnership with those working tirelessly in communities every day, we look forward to carrying this work forward through the next decade and beyond.

With gratitude, 

Roseanna (and the Crime and Ed Lab team)

The First 10: A Decade of Impact at the Crime Lab and Education Lab