Fighting Crime

We all need the right training to do our jobs properly. So what do cops need so they can make better decisions in high-stakes and time-sensitive situations? In this episode we speak to economists about simple and effective training methods which help cops arrest the right people and keep us safer, which also cost next to nothing. We’d love to hear from anyone in policing about interesting things y...

The use of DNA evidence has revolutionized crime investigations over the past 30 years, helping to catch criminals and keep us all safer. But are we fully using DNA’s potential to catch criminals? In this episode, a victim of sexual assault tells their powerful story of how DNA analysis led to justice, and how exactly DNA can be used to prevent crimes before they even happen. Guests: Ashley Spence...

American prisons are not designed to be welcoming places. But what if the American prison experience was reimagined, to the benefit of corrections officers and inmates? In this episode, we head to an experimental prison housing unit in Pennsylvania, which is trying to do just that, by incorporating the ethos of a Scandinavian prison. Guests: Allison Murphy, Assistant to the SCI Chester Superintend...

Getting a good job after prison is one of the best ways to beat recidivism. But what does the evidence actually say about getting formerly incarcerated people back into work? In this episode, we discover some ideas that are helping and hindering people in getting jobs. The solutions are cheaper and simpler than you might expect. Guests: Coss Marte, founder of ConBody and ConBud Dr Amanda Agan, Cor...

There are a bunch of ways to improve public safety that no one is talking about. Launching May 28th, Fighting Crime will dive into the world of crime, policy, and economics, to uncover the evidence of what actually works to improve public safety. It’s not true crime - it’s the truth about crime.