By Stephen Handelman Recently, in New York City, a group of public health professionals and crime experts came together at a conference to discuss how to apply public health concepts to the “epidemic” of mass incarceration in the United States. “Public health, incarceration and justice issues are inextricably linked, in both the causes of the incarceration rate, and in the … [Read more...] about Why crime journalism has to change
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How Haiti successfully curbed kidnappings
By Julienne Gage Until recently, abductions in Haiti were rampant and almost always happened the same way: ski-mask-clad kidnappers would surround a house, force entry, ransack the place and leave with a vulnerable victim—usually a woman, child or elderly person. The family would pay ransom, and if the victim was released alive, law enforcement would call it a success. … [Read more...] about How Haiti successfully curbed kidnappings
Fix the divide between science and policing
By Peter Neyroud and David Weisburd In recent years, science has become an important tool for police agencies. But how should police departments evaluate and assess these tools? For instance, it is conceivable for every police officer patrolling a favela in Brazil to record his every move with a wearable camera. But how should this technology be adopted, and would it … [Read more...] about Fix the divide between science and policing
Whither Rio de Janeiro’s Police Pacification Units?
By Robson Rodrigues Rio de Janeiro’s Pacification Police Units (UPP) are celebrating their fifth year in 2013. They do so with generally positive approval ratings from the media and society as a whole. A recent study by Instituto Data Favela indicates that 75% of favelas inhabitants approve of the UPPs. Notwithstanding major crises and criticism, the UPP constitute the … [Read more...] about Whither Rio de Janeiro’s Police Pacification Units?
Four steps to use the public health model to curb crime
By John Carnochan The first of two blog posts In 2004-2005, we had 132 homicides in Scotland and violence, by Western European standards, was high. What did we do? In 2004 we established the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), a police unit that uses the public health model to develop and apply effective violence reduction tactics, working with education, health, government, … [Read more...] about Four steps to use the public health model to curb crime