Cities
-
The New Housing Discrimination: Realtor Minority Steering
•
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act—an important victory for activists in the Civil Rights era—but this historic legislation did not eradicate discrimination in the housing market. Evidence shows that real estate agents today still steer buyers into same-race neighborhoods—a phenomenon where realtors show only selected neighborhoods…
-
From the Vault, February 2013: The Great Gun Regulation Debate
•
This article was originally published on February 25, 2013. Link to original article here. Gun sales in the United States are a huge business; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ran 19.5 million firearm background checks in 2012 alone. The recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, has reignited the national debate…
-
Undocumented Immigration May Make Communities Safer
•
The increase in undocumented immigration into the United States over the past two decades has fueled controversies about public safety impacts. President Trump has stated explicitly, both during his campaign and as president, that undocumented immigrants, specifically from Latin American countries, are “bringing drugs [and] crime” into the country, and that they…
-
The Mixed Effects of Tasers in Civilian-Police Encounters
•
In the early 2000s, police departments across the U.S. began deploying Tasers—devices that deliver an electric current to incapacitate targets—as an alternative use-of-force against civilians. The Taser was considered a non-lethal alternative to firearms and promised increased safety for officers in situations that normally require more physical contact. While outcomes…
-
The Economic Impact of Place-Based Scholarships in Public School Districts
•
Since the introduction of the Kalamazoo Public School District’s Promise Scholarship Program in 2005, public school districts across the country have announced similar initiatives, offering college scholarships for students who have attended its public schools for a set period of time. Because they are place-based, Promise programs incentivize families with…
-
The Deteriorating Impact of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in Chicago
•
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2002 to reduce gun violence across 94 federal districts. The City of Chicago adopted this program the same year, targeting neighborhoods inflicted with high rates of poverty, unemployment, gang membership, and high school dropouts. Initial evaluations determined…
-
The Effect of Decriminalizing Prostitution on Public Health and Safety
•
In the United States, prostitution has long been declared illegal for moral, safety, and public health concerns. Recently, states like New Hampshire and California are challenging these laws, opening the topic for public debate. The effects of legalizing prostitution are still largely unknown because they have primarily been studied in…
-
Social Media May Provoke Violent Conflicts, But Can It Prevent Them Too?
•
When a gang member on the south side of Chicago posted a photo of himself throwing down a gang sign in enemy territory on his social media account, the backlash was immediate and severe. The response was not limited to the comments section alone; it took only an hour for…
-
Which Income Group Benefits from Commuting Subsidies? Lessons from Germany
•
Most countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) offer one form or another of tax breaks for commuting expenses. In countries like Germany and Denmark, the cost of commuting to and from one’s place of work is exempted from taxable income. In the United States, parking expenses are exempt…
-
How Nonprofit Organizations Make Their Communities Safer
•
In 2016, the FBI reported a 4.1 percent increase in violent crime from the previous year. With more than 1.2 million incidences, that report claims that cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and Las Vegas—cities that have all struggled with pervasive crime for decades—are driving the recent increase in violent crime in…
-
How Public Bus Routes Can Deconcentrate Poverty and Promote Equity
•
Initiatives that aim to address geographically concentrated poverty often focus on providing affordable housing. While such housing projects may increase quality of life for residents, they are unlikely to reduce the concentration of poverty in particular areas. New research suggests that a more effective approach to changing the geography of…