ProPublica — Can Community Programs Help Slow the Rise in Violence?
Jeff Butts, a sociologist at John Jay College who led a study in New York, told me that interrupter programs are fundamentally difficult to assess — it’s hard to know whether a decline in shootings in an area is due to the interrupters or to all the other factors at play. Continue reading ProPublica — Can Community Programs Help Slow the Rise in Violence?
USA Today — Data from big cities suggests most violent crime fell last year. It’s not the full picture, experts say.
Crime is a “complicated social phenomenon” with many causes, said Jeffrey Butts, director of the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. “Easy answers are popular, but they are never accurate,” he said. Continue reading USA Today — Data from big cities suggests most violent crime fell last year. It’s not the full picture, experts say.
CBS2 New York — Data shows troubling increase in number of juveniles shot across New York City
The annual number of people under 18 shot across the city has more than doubled since 2019, and the number of kids committing shootings is also on the rise. “Do you have an indication why it’s happening?” McNicholas asked Professor Jeffrey Butts, with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Continue reading CBS2 New York — Data shows troubling increase in number of juveniles shot across New York City
Scripps News — Shootings in New York City are costing taxpayers millions of dollars
Researchers at New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice found that between 2010 and 2020, taxpayers shelled out at least $350 million to care for survivors of gun violence. The report also says taxpayers are paying more than 70% of hospital costs, with inpatient stays for injuries averaging eight days in the study. Continue reading Scripps News — Shootings in New York City are costing taxpayers millions of dollars
Wall Street Journal — The Economic and Human Costs of Protecting Criminals
A researcher at John Jay told the New York Post: “People should not delude themselves into thinking that if they live in a rural farm community, they don’t have to worry about urban gun violence—because they are paying for that.” Continue reading Wall Street Journal — The Economic and Human Costs of Protecting Criminals
New York Post — NYC shootings cost taxpayers at least $350 million in hospital bills
Putting a price tag on the city’s gun violence may help the problem get attention from communities less directly affected by the problem, Dr. Jeffrey Butts, head of the Research & Evaluation Center at John Jay, said. Continue reading New York Post — NYC shootings cost taxpayers at least $350 million in hospital bills
Boston Globe — Crime is down overall in Boston, but activists say the work must go on
While youth violence remains a concern, data on most crimes seem to have reached a plateau, though it’s too early to spot any clear trends. Academics noted that stable crime rates aren’t unusual after a period of decline, and cautioned that yearly numbers rarely point directly to the success or failure of city initiatives. Continue reading Boston Globe — Crime is down overall in Boston, but activists say the work must go on
CNN — Survivors of mass shootings are left with lifelong wounds – and mounting bills
“Imagine a young person is shot and loses their ability to walk or work and then suddenly someone in that family has to stay home and lose their job to care for their loved one. All those economic consequences then could affect their ability to keep their housing, to put food on the table,” said Jeffrey Butts, a research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Continue reading CNN — Survivors of mass shootings are left with lifelong wounds – and mounting bills
City & State — Reviewing Lee Zeldin’s focus on crime in New York City
“Violent crime was twice the rate in the mid-90s as it is now,” Jeffrey Butts, research professor and director of the Research & Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told City & State. Continue reading City & State — Reviewing Lee Zeldin’s focus on crime in New York City
CBS News — Violent Crime
CBS News’ Anne-Marie Green breaks down what the numbers show, then she and Vladimir Duthiers speak with Jeffrey Butts, Ph.D., from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, about what’s driving these numbers and related racial disparities. Continue reading CBS News — Violent Crime
West Side Rag — Crime On The Upper West Side Over the Decades
“Crime is constantly fluctuating,” said Dr. Jeffrey Butts, a research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in a recent phone interview. “The numbers go up and they go down,” he said, and looking at short-term changes doesn’t reflect meaningful trends. “You never understand the history of something until you can look at it with a little bit of distance.” Continue reading West Side Rag — Crime On The Upper West Side Over the Decades
Inside Edition — “Random Acts of Violence”
“…we see video, we see security video, street cameras, and it gives you the impression that it’s increasing.” Continue reading Inside Edition — “Random Acts of Violence”