Santiago Tobon

Universidad EAFIT Website

Santiago Tobón is Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Research in Economics and Finance (CIEF) at Universidad EAFIT. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Universidad de los Andes.

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
Neutral/No Opinion 10
Median Survey Vote Median Survey Confidence
Agree 7
Comments

It depends on the context and the drivers of gun violence. An example from Colombia. In Medellín, a city where most homicides are instrumental, hot spots policing did not impact homicides. In Bogotá, a city where most homicides are emotional, hot spots policing did impact homicides.

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 8
Median Survey Vote Median Survey Confidence
Agree 6
Comments

The broad idea of focused deterrence is reasonable, but we need more evidence. These interventions might even have adverse spillovers, inducing violence in other places/groups/people

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 8
Median Survey Vote Median Survey Confidence
Neutral/No Opinion 5
Comments

As with focused deterrence, the broad idea of violence interruptors is reasonable, but we also need more evidence in this case. There are challenges also in how some community members might result injured as a result of their participation in the program