ICYMI I wrote about Memphis -- a city where shooting have dropped after a large Federal deployment but I have questions about the validity of data being reported about other crimes. jasher.substack.com/p/walking-in...

Mixed feelings about the federal surge in Memphis. The key will be sustainability, which is a question of resources and also of community trust. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

Pleased to see this op-ed calling for the "Bleeding Out" approach in Minneapolis. Francis Shen does a nice job of summarizing the strategy. www.startribune.com/twin-cities-...

Gifting this article from The Atlantic by a judge appointed by Reagan, who is resigning so he can speak out about how Trump is destroying the rule of law. Must read. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

Today, the VRC brought together voices from across sectors to discuss how social media can both impact and help prevent community violence. Real conversations, and real collaboration. Thank you to everyone who shared your solution-driven insights! Our white paper coming soon.

@jama.com convened 60 experts from diverse fields to design a forward-looking roadmap for significantly reducing firearm-related harm by 2040. Read more on evidence-informed strategies: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Important new JAMA report on reducing firearm violence. Take a look. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Read it and weep. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/o...

Trump will take credit, but DC's crime was falling fast before the surge. Hard to say if it even helped. And even if it did, it's not a sustainable strategy. www.thetrace.org/2025/10/dc-s...

Please read this @usatoday.com review of federal crackdowns in Chicago, Memphis, Los Angeles, Portland, and Washington DC. Happy to have contributed to this well-investigated piece. www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

As @protectdemocracy.org has noted, the corruption on display this week was particularly breathtaking.

If you're interested in CVI strategies, this is worth a read.

@thomasabt.bsky.social, Director of the Violence Reduction Center, moderated a panel with key stakeholders focused on strategies that have led to a significant reduction in gun violence in New Orleans and how to ensure their sustainability. Watch here: vimeo.com/1121566754?f...

"The largest decline in murder recorded so far was last year’s 14.9 percent drop. Before that it was a 9.3 percent drop in 2023... [and we can] feel reasonably confident in a third straight year of record murder decline this year."

Freedom-loving Americans, which should be all Americans, should be deeply disturbed by this. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

In the St. Louis region, SaveLivesNow is using science to guide its crime strategy with promising initial signs. If it succeeds, people will need to know about it. www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Agree with Jeff Asher, who just released a deep dive on DC data: hard to see how the federal crackdown helped control crime. Maybe it did, but impact was small and impossible to distinguish from pre-existing downward trend.

“This country has a foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion... This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law.” www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

None of these statements should be acceptable for a political leader to make in front of a military audience in a democratic society.

This is a big deal and a very welcome development. Kudos @jeffasher.bsky.social and Jacob Kaplan for noticing.

In this article, @tonymess.bsky.social connects evidence and crime-fighting, both in St. Louis and beyond. Pleased to have been a part of it and glad to see the @vrcinfo.bsky.social's work mentioned. www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Pleased to see the lessons from Bleeding Out are still getting out there. Focus. Balance. Fairness. iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/19/d...

Last week, VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social gave the keynote at Sacramento Police Department's Violent Crime Summit. Thank you to Dr. Nicole Clavo-Barclay and Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester for the opportunity to discuss the work of the VRC!

I somehow missed this important op-ed a couple of weeks ago from David Kennedy. Don't make the same mistake! www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/o...

If scientists are viewed simply as a tribe, other tribes will be inclined to reject their wisdom. Smart stuff from @ellaalshamahi.bsky.social. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

As Peter and Barry point out, there are better ways to support localities in fighting crime than sending in the national guard. www.nationalreview.com/2025/09/a-be...

The weaponization of law enforcement, if unchecked, only ends in one place: autocracy. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

For better or worse, Trump is generating attention and energy around the issue of violent crime. The challenge policymakers face is to channel that energy into policies informed by rigorous evidence and respectful of civil rights and liberties. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Some good, hopeful news on a Sunday morning. I see these sentiments in my own students as well. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

As @nytimes.com highlights, VRC-partner cities, City of Knoxville, @boston.gov, and @cityofstl.bsky.social are seeing violent crime drop faster than the national avg. Memphis is on track to reach this level. Violence reduction should be evidence-based, not partisan. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/u...

🚨 There's still time to apply! 🚨 The VRC is looking for an experienced Deputy Director to lead research, policy guidance, as well as day-to-day management and mid- and long-term planning. Apply today for best consideration. tinyurl.com/applyvrc

Data is now available through August for 29 of the 30 cities that had the most murders in 2024 (data through July for Indianapolis). Murder is down more than 21 percent in that sample.

I spoke recently with @nbcwashington.com about Trump's takeover. As I've noted here and elsewhere, federal support for local crimefighting is nothing new, but there's a right way and wrong way to go about it. www.nbcwashington.com/investigatio...

Political violence has no place in a democracy. Period. Charlie Kirk and I didn't agree on much, but that doesn't make his brutal murder any less despicable. I hope his killer(s) are brought to justice soon.

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social shared with @nytimes.com temporary crime surges may reduce violence briefly but doesn’t address the underlying issue. Lasting change comes from sustained investment in strategies that are focused, balanced, and fair. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/u...

Join Our Team! The VRC is seeking an experienced Deputy Director to advance our mission to save lives by stopping violence, using science. Apply by 9/12 for best consideration! tinyurl.com/applyvrc

Apparently DOJ's Office of Justice Programs is no longer funding CrimeSolutions, its evidence-based program registry. Big mistake and a loss for science-backed crimefighting nationwide. crimjj.wordpress.com/2025/09/08/d...

The VRC is hiring! This is an important leadership position in a growing and dynamic organization that is saving lives. Please consider applying and joining us!

New @jhucgvs.bsky.social survey: 72% of Americans support funding Community Violence Intervention programs. Investing in the people and places most at risk can save lives and deliver major returns. Survey: publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-g... doi.org/10.1162/daed...

Despite this article’s aggressive title, it’s important to note that good crime policy depends on cooperation and collaboration. Pleased to see the nonpartisan work of the @vrcinfo.bsky.social highlighted as an example. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/u...

Nice @nytimes piece questioning the effectiveness of the DC takeover. Lots of smart people commenting, and also me. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/u...

It’s not too late to apply! @cityofstl.bsky.social is hiring a Commissioner of Violence Prevention. This important leadership role guides strategies, partnerships, and solutions to reduce violence and build safer neighborhoods. Closes August 29, 2025 Apply now: careers.stlouis-mo.gov/careersectio...

This powerful piece highlights ROCA Inc's early work and how they are reaching young men in Baltimore at the highest risk of gun violence. A must-read on what real change looks like. www.thebanner.com/community/lo...

Republican or Democrat, conservative or progressive, if you love freedom, moves like these should scare you. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/u...

Was pleased to play a small part in supporting Ganesha Martin and former chief Michael Harrison bringing this strategy to Baltimore.

Prosecutors are not legislators, and they shouldn’t take the law into their own hands, refusing to prosecute certain offenses but not others. Wrong when progressives do it, wrong when conservatives do it.

Last week Adam Gelb and I spoke to @npr.org about how best to understand the crime situation in Washington, DC. Take a look. www.npr.org/2025/08/19/n...

Last week Adam Gelb and I spoke to @npr.org about how best to understand the crime situation in Washington, DC. Take a look. www.npr.org/2025/08/19/n...

THIS. A great summation of everything that's wrong with Trump's takeover.