Shawn Bushway
Shawn Bushway is Senior Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation, and Professor of Public Administration and Policy at the University at Albany. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis and Political Economy from Carnegie Mellon University.
Voting History
Policing and public safety
Increasing police budgets will improve public safety.
| Vote | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 9 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 7 |
Increasing social service budgets (e.g. housing, health, education) will improve public safety.
| Vote | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Disagree | 8 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 8 |
Comments
There is very little research showing that direct investment in these public services will reduce crime. This is not surprising, in part because each of these things is indirect. We first have to improve that outcome (which can be tough) and then that outcome has to reduce crime. As a result, large investments will apriori only have a small predicted effect even if the effect sizes are decent size.
Increasing accountability for police misconduct will improve public safety.
| Vote | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Neutral/No Opinion | 6 |
| Median Survey Vote | Median Survey Confidence |
|---|---|
| Agree | 6 |
Comments
I don't think accountability for police misconduct has much to do with public safety. I think community police relationships are a distinct value from public safety, and deserves to be considered on its own, independent of its impact on public safety.
Comments
This is a settled issue. More police equal less crime. There is also research showing proactive policing reduces crime in the short run.