Jennifer Doleac
Jennifer Doleac is Associate Professor of Economics at Texas A&M University, Director of the Justice Tech Lab, and host of the Probable Causation podcast. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University. Professor Doleac is the Co-Director of the Criminal Justice Expert Panel.
Voting History
Mass violence
Red flag laws, allowing police or family members to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from a person who presents a danger to themselves or others, would reduce the frequency or severity of mass violence.
| Vote | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Neutral/No Opinion | 3 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 7 |
Universal background checks, which would require almost all firearm sales in the US to go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, would reduce the frequency or severity of mass violence.
| Vote | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Neutral/No Opinion | 3 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 5 |
Comments
Again, it's possible making it more difficult to purchase firearms could prevent some mass shootings, but if someone determined to cause harm in a mass violent attack can't get a gun they might use an explosive or other weapon. There is no empirical evidence either way.
Increasing the presence of armed security at schools and other public venues would reduce the frequency or severity of mass violence.
| Vote | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Neutral/No Opinion | 3 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Neutral/No Opinion | 5 |
Comments
Increasing armed security enough to thwart heavily-armed attackers, at all possible targets of attack, would be extraordinarily expensive and would make us all feel like we're living in a war zone. Even if it were effective I suspect few Americans would be comfortable with such a shift.
Comments
I suspect this would be a worthwhile policy, because it would probably reduce suicides. It's possible it could also prevent some mass shootings, but if someone determined to cause harm in a mass violent attack can't get a gun they might use an explosive or other weapon.