Criminology | Penn Today

How Philly reversed its pandemic-era homicide surge

John MacDonald of the School of Arts & Sciences says a small number of people are typically responsible for a majority of violent crimes.

New model could help police departments reduce excessive force incidents

Criminology professor Greg Ridgeway has developed a model that estimates an officer’s likelihood of using a higher level of force than peers in similar situations—an improvement on existing early-intervention systems that don’t account for differences in time and location.

3 min. read

The great crime decline is happening all across the country

A Penn study credits a Group Violence Reduction Strategy with reducing homicides and nonfatal shootings in Baltimore.

Could Philly’s $2 billion bet on housing help cut gun violence?

A 2023 study from the Leonard Davis Institute found that equipping clusters of abandoned homes with new doors reduces gun crime compared to clusters of houses that received no remediation.

How Mayor Brandon Scott curbed violent crime in Baltimore

In the first 18 months of an anti-crime program in Baltimore, there were significant reductions in homicides and shootings, according to Penn’s Crime and Justice Policy Lab.

One School, many schools of thought

A special edition of the Penn Arts & Sciences “Ampersand” podcast features Dean Mark Trodden in conversation with SAS faculty from different disciplines.

2 min. read

Six people stand on a set of parallel, converging arrows, illustrating the concept of collaboration or moving forward together.

A road map to reduce firearm harms by 2040

Three Penn faculty members are among more than 40 experts to author a report addressing the persistent challenge of gun violence and proposing solutions stemming from a JAMA Summit convened last spring.

2 min. read

Your guide to Philadelphia's $91 million streetlight replacement project

Researchers from the School of Arts & Sciences found all nighttime outdoor crime on blocks with new lighting infrastructure decreased by 15%, including a 21% reduction in gun crimes and a 20% reduction in violent crimes.

Scientists discover a key biological difference between psychopaths and normal people

A study co-authored by Adrian Raine of the School of Arts & Sciences finds that psychopaths have a 10% larger striatum than non-psychopaths, a physical enlargement tied to impulsivity and a higher craving for stimulation.

Anti-violence programs aren’t in one of S.F.’s most violent neighborhoods

An analysis from the Crime & Justice Policy Lab in the School of Arts & Sciences found that police-run violence prevention programs were successful in reducing serious violence in some San Francisco neighborhoods.

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