Emily Owens
Emily Owens is Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, and the Department of Economics at the University of California-Irvine. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Maryland-College Park.
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 | 6 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 7 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Agree | 3 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 6 |
Comments
The NAS reviewed this in 2018. The evidence on the impact of person-based deterrence strategies isn't as strong as the place-based ones; many quasi-experimental studies do find reductions in crime (specifically gang violence and crime associated with drug markets) in affected areas, larger crime reducing effects are generally found in studies with weaker designs. I think implementation really matters. The existence of benefits also does not mean there are no costs.
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 | 1 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Neutral/No Opinion | 5 |
Comments
Maybe - I know less about the evidence base for this specific set of strategies. I am aware of case studies that find very promising reductions in violence without police involvement, and at least one reasonable quasi experimental evaluation of the impact of nonprofits on violence.
Comments
The NAS reviewed this in 2018. Multiple RCTs of place based policing policies in the US have found evidence of localized short run crime reductions, and not found strong evidence of adverse spillovers. At the same time, jurisdiction-level, longer run evaluations haven't really been done. The existence of benefits also does not mean there are no costs.