After a string of shootings near schools, the police and the city are grappling with how to deal with an uptick in incidents both perpetrated by and victimizing young people. Continue reading NY1 — How can youth crime be fixed in the city?
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.
When predicting urban gun violence trends, academics also underscore the strong connection between gun violence and racial and economic segregation. Continue reading Boston Globe — Massachusetts’ Restrictive Gun Laws are Working. The Supreme Court May Have Just Upended That.
Democrats should cue up a more enlightened sequel full of popular ideas that will make communities safer without resorting to simply locking more Americans up. Think summer jobs for teens. Think funding for drug rehab centers. And yes, maybe think about more money for better-trained police. Continue reading Slate Magazine — It’s Time for a New Crime Bill
Jeffrey Butts interviewed by Andrea Linares about violent crime surges around the U.S. as President Biden unveils his plan to reduce nationwide violence. Continue reading Univision News — Increases in Violent Crime
“I’m an older white guy. I’m going to stop, I don’t feel threatened,” said Jeffrey Butts, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “There are people whose rational expectation is that (the stop) puts them in danger. They’re going to have different response. It’s amazing to me that we haven’t confronted that and individual police officers don’t think about that. They’re just shocked and angered by someone daring to not comply.” Continue reading CNN — US Law Enforcement ‘Very Nervous’ About Proactive Policing as Gun Violence Soars
