Amanda Agan

Rutgers University Website

Amanda Agan is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Rutgers University. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Voting History

Reducing gun violence

Taking into account both potential implementation challenges and expected efficacy, investing in police-led targeted enforcement directed at places and persons at high risk for gun crime (e.g.,\"hot spot\" policing; gang enforcement) would reduce gun violence.

Vote Confidence
Agree 4
Median Survey Vote Median Survey Confidence
Agree 7
Comments

Taking into account both potential implementation challenges and expected efficacy, investing in police-led focused deterrence programs (clearly communicating “carrots and sticks” to local residents identified as high risk, followed by targeted surveillance and enforcement with some community-based support for those who desist from crime) would reduce gun violence.

Vote Confidence
Neutral/No Opinion 5
Median Survey Vote Median Survey Confidence
Agree 6
Comments

Some (weak) evidence that focused deterrence programs reduce violence (see e.g. Braga et al. 2019), recent RCT evidence shows no reduction. Increased police contact for targeted individuals is a cost.

Taking into account both potential implementation challenges and expected efficacy, investing in purely community-led violence-interruption programs (community-based outreach workers try to mediate and prevent conflict, without police involvement) would reduce gun violence.

Vote Confidence
Neutral/No Opinion 5
Median Survey Vote Median Survey Confidence
Neutral/No Opinion 5
Comments

Evidence on community-based programs like Cure Violence is weak and mixed (e.g. Butts et al. 2015)