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Criminology
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence?
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence?
In a Q&A, criminologist Richard Berk discusses why definitions matter and what role social media and mental illness play in this context.
Preventative measures against mass violence
Preventative measures against mass violence
Richard Berk, professor of criminology and statistics and chair of the Department of Criminology, taps into perpetrator patterns to forecast crime.
Documentary shows discriminatory impact of state legal assistance provision
Documentary shows discriminatory impact of state legal assistance provision
The Penn Program on Documentaries and the Law has produced a new documentary that exposes the discriminatory impact of a provision of the Pennsylvania Victims Assistance Compensation Program law that denies assistance to victims who contribute, or are suspected of contributing, to their own death or injury.
For incarcerated women, From Cell to Home offers a second chance
For incarcerated women, From Cell to Home offers a second chance
The program, run by the Ortner Center’s Kathleen M. Brown with support from Penn student volunteers and the Quattrone Center, works to secure the release of reformed prisoners serving life sentences.
Quattrone Center leads Philadelphia Event Review Team to analyze wrongful convictions
Quattrone Center leads Philadelphia Event Review Team to analyze wrongful convictions
The Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice and city agencies have joined together in a partnership that seeks to improve the fairness and accuracy of the criminal justice system.
States with strict gun laws see increase in homicides when they border states with lax ones
States with strict gun laws see increase in homicides when they border states with lax ones
Over a five-year period, most guns found in states with strict gun laws were obtained from less restrictive states.
Law faculty perspectives on passage of the First Step Act
Law faculty perspectives on passage of the First Step Act
Penn Law faculty weigh in on the passage of the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that modifies sentencing laws, expands job training, and takes additional steps intended to reduce recidivism and create a fairer and less costly criminal justice system.
‘Second Looks, Second Chances’ examines parole reform for life sentences
‘Second Looks, Second Chances’ examines parole reform for life sentences
Regina Austin, Penn Law’s William A. Schnader Professor of Law, has authored a new paper offering a behind-the-scenes account of producing a documentary calling for commuting life sentences for prisoners in Pennsylvania.
VAWA renewal is overdue—but approval is contentious
VAWA renewal is overdue—but approval is contentious
The landmark 1994 legislation—the Violence Against Women Act—is up for reauthorization, and includes a firearm-related provision.
New study finds holistic defense effective in reducing mass incarceration
New study finds holistic defense effective in reducing mass incarceration
Researchers at RAND and Penn Law School find that by adopting an innovative holistic approach to defending poor clients in criminal cases, jurisdictions can significantly reduce incarceration and save taxpayer dollars without harming public safety.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Too many Philly police are no-shows in court, derailing cases and undermining our justice system
Research by Sandra Mayson of Penn Carey Law, Aurelie Ouss of the School of Arts & Sciences, and doctoral candidate Linsday Graef finds that Philadelphia police officers failed to appear in 31% of cases for which they were subpoenaed between 2010 and 2020.
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Providence Journal
Do safe injection sites increase crime rates? What a study our of Brown University found
A study in collaboration with Aaron Chalfin of the School of Arts & Sciences indicates that overdose prevention centers do not lead to increased neighborhood crime rates.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?
A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
There is an invisible Puerto Rican community growing in PA’s prisons
Marie Gottschalk of the School of Arts & Sciences says that prison reforms to reduce the number of people incarcerated have been minimal.
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Boston Globe
Gregg Bigda is the poster boy of police brutality in Springfield. But the city can’t—or won’t—fire him
A 2021 Penn analysis of all complaints across the Chicago Police Department revealed that on average, officers generated 1.5 total complaints and 0.2 use of force complaints in a five-year period.
FULL STORY →
NJ.com
When a police shooting really is justified, what do we do with our pain then?
Richard Berk of the School of Arts & Sciences says that the police shooting of Estiben Alegria-Hurtado in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is a case where 20-20 hindsight can be fairly myopic.
FULL STORY →