"The willingness of Good and Pretti to put themselves in danger for the cause of racial justice proved an unparalleled galvanizing force, one that simultaneously affirms the best about America, and the worst." www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/m...

A very important study with practical significance for the field of violence reduction was just published in Criminology & Public Policy. Read on. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

A very important study with practical significance for the field of violence reduction was just published in Criminology & Public Policy. Read on. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

@ucdaviscvp.bsky.social spoke with 45 community violence prevention specialists (CVPS) to explore their role in preventing violence. Their proximity and perspective provide valuable guidance to inform and strengthen violence reduction efforts. Read more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform's Group Violence Reduction Strategy includes combining data-driven identification, respectful engagement, intensive relationship-based supports, focused enforcement when necessary, and performance tracking. Read here: nicjr.org/files/galler...

I'm proud to say @vrcinfo.bsky.social has partnered with 4 of the 9 mayors profiled here. We provide nonpartisan training and technical assistance FOR FREE to mayors looking to save lives by stopping violent crime. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...

Check out VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social interview on the Chris and Amy show on @kmoxnews.bsky.social, where he discusses St. Louis's encouraging progress in violence reduction through the regional Save Lives Now! initiative. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sHN...

Agree with this. @vrcinfo.bsky.social and others have been pushing these polices for the past few years and it's made a difference. Read the whole @nytimes.com piece, based on the @counciloncj.org's excellent new report. counciloncj.org/crime-trends...

The Council on Criminal Justice just released its 2025 crime trends report. Read the whole report, but are some highlights are below. counciloncj.org/crime-trends...

"An administration that campaigned on fighting crime and improving public safety has terminated, redirected, or delayed more than $1 billion in federal grants related to gun violence, public safety, mental health, and other efforts to save lives." www.thetrace.org/2026/01/trum...

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform released The Successful Gun Violence Reduction Strategy, outlining an evidence-based approach that supports sustained reductions in gun violence nationwide. Learn how cities use data to create safer communities. Read: nicjr.org/files/galler...

Every MLK day I try to read a speech by King. This morning it was "The Three Evils of Society," in which King calls out poverty, racism and militarism in American society. Take a look - it's worth a read on any day - and give some thought to his words below. www.scribd.com/doc/13436224...

I am now an Associate Professor, which means people from my hometown think I stopped working for a professor but am still in touch with them.

The VRC recognizes Knoxville’s progress in public safety. According to preliminary 2025 crime data, homicides declined 26%, reaching the city's lowest total since 2016. Non-fatal shootings fell 27% in 2025, following a 45% reduction the prior year. Report: knoxvilletnpolice.gov/wp-content/u...

St.Louis reached its lowest homicide total since 2013. These ongoing reductions reflect regional collaboration, including St. Louis’s adoption of the evidence-based Save Lives Now! initiative to reduce homicides. The VRC is proud to support these efforts. Read here: www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Really proud of the VRC's progress in 2025. On to 2026!

This is great news.

Question: Which cities saw historic lows in violence in 2025? Answer: A lot of them. open.substack.com/pub/jasher/p...

Pleased to be quoted in this @tonymess.bsky.social piece about declining violence in St. Louis. Lots of good work happening and @vrcinfo.bsky.social is pleased to play a role in it. www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Paper out with @jpinasanchez.bsky.social & @marcelo-f-aebi.bsky.social in @socialindicators.bsky.social 🔔 How often do we compare crime recorded across countries? We show that crime counting rules vary widely across countries and this strongly affects cross-country comparisons

Oona Hathaway: The Great Unraveling Has Begun www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/o...

Gun violence declined again in 2025, hitting some of the lowest levels in a decade, but the scale is still staggering. At least 40,000 people were shot. Gun suicides continued to rise. Over 4,400 children and teens were hit by gunfire. More on the numbers from @bychipbrownlee.com for @thetrace.org

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social recently spoke with @michelmartinnpr.bsky.social on @npr.org about violence reduction in Baltimore and nationwide. Across the country, evidence-informed, community-informed strategies are having an impact. www.npr.org/2026/01/01/n....

"You have to be willing to follow the research where it leads, even if it takes you places that run counter to your assumptions." @joycewhitevance.bsky.social spoke with @abgelb.bsky.social about CCJ's work and why a fair and effective justice system is vital for democracy. tinyurl.com/mt6jrsme

Here’s some good news from last week: www.politico.com/news/2025/12...

Not sure @bsky.app is worth my time. I want to be supportive, but my same posts at Twitter (will always call it that) and especially LinkedIn consistently do better. I also find the content here less interesting. Open to being convinced - is it worth it?

Here's me on NPR talking with Michelle Martin about what's happening in Baltimore and around the country. They dropped some of the specifics about the city from the discussion, so let me add those back below. www.npr.org/2026/01/01/n...

Here are 2 great articles on Baltimore, a city on track to have the lowest annual homicides since the 70s. The 1st focuses on the city's highly success GVRS strategy and law enforcement, the 2nd emphasizes proven supports and services. Both are critically important.

Crime fell in the U.S. by record-setting amounts. Will trend continue in 2026? www.npr.org/2025/12/24/n...

Looking at the historic reduction in US homicides from many angles. I appreciate the Real-Time Crime Index data - 12-month rolling trends for 570 cities 2018-2025. But this graph from U Chicago Crime Lab made me appreciate what Baltimore and St Louis have accomplished from their peak to 2025.

2025 will be historic in terms of crime and violence reduction. Murder will drop by the largest one-year percentage ever recorded and fall to levels we haven't seen since the 60s.

It was a full house last night! The VRC is energized by the thoughtful dialogue helping shape public safety. We appreciate everyone who joined, including representatives from @durhamcounty.bsky.social and @cityofdurhamnc.bsky.social. Photos feature Mayor Leonardo Williams and @thomasabt.bsky.social.

We’re excited to welcome Amber Parker as the VRC’s new Deputy Director! Amber brings decades of experience in justice reform, violence prevention, and community safety, having worked across federal, state, and local systems. Read the full announcement below! www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

The VRC is excited to join @cityofdurhamnc.bsky.social and @durhamcounty.bsky.social's strategy and learning session on violence reduction. @thomasabt.bsky.social will present highlighting how data-driven, community-centered interventions can reduce violence. We look forward to the conversation.

Welcome Amber Parker!!

Philly leads the way on these "clean and green" interventions that should be a component of most city anti-violence portfolios. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/h...

The Violence Reduction Center is excited to join @cityofdurhamnc.bsky.social and @durhamcounty.bsky.social as they launch the first phase of their Violence Reduction Plan. We’re grateful to be part of this effort to build a safer future for all communities. Read here: hoodline.com/2025/12/durh...

If you believe Trump is a law and order president, I have a bridge to sell you. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Update: "The 'crime emergency' declared by President Donald Trump resulted in 932 arrests of immigrants with no criminal conviction or pending charge, federal data shows." www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

We should abolish presidential pardons. Neither side uses them responsibly. Make them go through Congress. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Please support the VRC's life-saving work today!

A thoughtful op-ed from @startribune.com highlighting the framework Director @thomasabt.bsky.social presents in Bleeding Out. Addressing violence effectively requires focus, balance, and fairness. Read here: www.startribune.com/twin-cities-...

Update: "Officials have publicly identified only about 120 of [4000] as having a criminal arrest or conviction... When the operation began, the agency highlighted 11 serious released criminals... DHS did not answer questions about whether it had found them." www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

Detroit is looking for a new Director of Community Violence Intervention. See the link below. www.risehigherdetroit.com/jobs

Trump’s attack on our independent judiciary is an attack America itself.

Update: weapons seized down 73%, child exploitation indictments down 28%. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...

VRC Director, @thomasabt.bsky.social highlighted the VRC's white paper on Community Violence Problem Analysis (CVPA) at the National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms. CVPA is a key tool to reduce fatal & nonfatal shootings. Read here: vrc.umd.edu/sites/vrc.um...

Very pleased to see Knoxville's Project TLC recognized by both @bloombergcities.bsky.social and the IACP (links below). Kudos to Mayor Kincannon, Chief Noel, LaKenya Middlebrook and all the amazing folks who helped make it happen. The @vrcinfo.bsky.social is proud to partner with you!

Decades of rigorous research on gun violence interventions exist, but evidence is scattered. An updated meta-review is underway and was highlighted at the 2025 National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms by @thomasabt.bsky.social. Campbell Protocol: tinyurl.com/653rdh4d