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Probable Causation

A show about law, economics, and crime. Hosted by Jennifer Doleac, economist and author of The Science of Second Chances: A Revolution in Criminal Justice.

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Episodes

Episode 81: Anita Mukherjee on how heat affects violence in prisons

Anita Mukherjee talks about how heat affects violent behavior in prisons. “The Causal Effect of Heat on Violence: Social Implications of Unmitigated Heat Among the Incarcerated” by Anita Mukherjee and Nicholas J. Sanders. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Interpersonal Violence Associated with H...

Oct 25, 202230 minEp. 105

Episode 80: Thomas Dee on sending health workers to 911 calls

Thomas Dee talks about the effects of dispatching health workers instead of police to some 911 calls. “A Community Response Approach to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Crises Reduced Crime” by Thomas S. Dee and Jaymes Pyne. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Variation Across Police Response Mod...

Oct 11, 202247 minEp. 104

Episode 22: Phil Levine on gun exposure and accidental shootings (REBROADCAST)

Phil Levine talks about the increase in gun exposure and accidental shootings in the wake of Sandy Hook. This episode was first posted in February 2020. "Firearms and Accidental Deaths: Evidence from the Aftermath of the Sandy Hook School Shooting" by Phillip B. Levine and Robin McKnight. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH W...

Sep 27, 202235 minEp. 103

Episode 35: Erich Muehlegger on air pollution and crime (REBROADCAST)

Erich Muehlegger talks about the effect of air pollution on crime. This episode was first posted in September 2020. "Air Pollution and Criminal Activity: Microgeographic Evidence from Chicago" by Evan Herrnstadt, Anthony Heyes, Erich Muehlegger, and Soodeh Saberian. OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Crime Is in the Air: The Contemporaneous Relationship between Air Pollution and Crime” by Malvina Bondy, Sefi Roth, and Lutz Sager. “The effect of pollution on crime: Evidence from data on ...

Sep 13, 202243 minEp. 102

Episode 79: Jenny Williams on electronic monitoring

Jenny Williams talks about electronic monitoring as an alternative to incarceration. “Can Electronic Monitoring Reduce Reoffending?” by Jenny Williams and Don Weatherburn. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Criminal Recidivism after Prison and Electronic Monitoring” by Rafael Di Tella and Ernesto...

Aug 30, 202259 minEp. 101

Episode 78: Sandip Sukhtankar on Women’s Help Desks in police stations in India

Sandip Sukhtankar talks about the effects of Women's Help Desks in police stations in India. “Policing in Patriarchy: An Experimental Evaluation of Reforms to Improve Police Responsiveness to Women in India” by Gabrielle Kruks-Wisner, Akshay Mangla, and Sandip Sukhtankar. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS...

Aug 16, 20221 hr 1 minEp. 100

Episode 77: Elizabeth Linos on reducing burnout for 911 dispatchers

Elizabeth Linos talks about reducing burnout for frontline workers like 911 dispatchers. “Reducing Burnout and Resignations Among Frontline Workers: A Field Experiment” by Elizabeth Linos, Krista Ruffini, and Stephanie Wilcoxen. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “ The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory...

Aug 02, 202238 minEp. 99

Episode 76: Tim Moore on the long-term effects of the crack cocaine epidemic

Tim Moore talks about the long-term effects of the US crack cocaine epidemic on gun violence. “Guns and Violence: The Enduring Impact of Crack Cocaine Markets on Young Black Males” by William N. Evans, Craig Garthwaite, and Timothy J. Moore. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “The White/Black Educ...

Jul 19, 202249 minEp. 98

Episode 75: Panka Bencsik on diversion for drug possession arrests

Panka Bencsik talks about a Chicago diversion program for drug possession arrests. “Policing Substance Use: Chicago’s Treatment Program for Narcotics Arrests” by Ashna Arora and Panka Bencsik. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Misdemeanor Prosecution” by Amanda Agan, Jennifer Doleac, & Anna ...

Jul 05, 202239 minEp. 97

Episode 74: Bryan Stuart on social connectedness and crime

Bryan Stuart talks about how social connectedness within cities affects local crime rates. “The Effect of Social Connectedness on Crime: Evidence from the Great Migration” by Bryan Stuart and Evan Taylor. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: All Our Kin by Carol B. Stack. “Neighborhoods and Violent ...

Jun 21, 202240 minEp. 96

Episode 73: Danila Serra on ethics training for police in Ghana

Danila Serra talks about the effects of a new ethics training program for police officers in Ghana. “Proud to Belong: The Impact of Ethics Training on Police in Ghana” by Donna Harris, Oana Borcan, Danila Serra, Henry Telli, Bruno Schettini, and Stefan Dercon. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “C...

Jun 07, 20221 hr 10 minEp. 95

Episode 72: Manasi Deshpande on SSI benefits and crime

Manasi Deshpande talks about how access to Supplementary Security Income (SSI) benefits affects criminal behavior. “Does Welfare Prevent Crime? The Criminal Justice Outcomes of Youth Removed from SSI” by Manasi Deshpande and Michael Mueller-Smith. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Does Welfare I...

May 24, 20221 hr 2 minEp. 94

Bonus episode: Chris Blattman on why we fight

David Eil talks with Chris Blattman about his book, " Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace ." *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work!

May 17, 202249 minEp. 93

Episode 71: Zoë Cullen on increasing employment for people with criminal records

Zoë Cullen talks about how to incentivize employers to hire workers with criminal records. “Increasing the Demand for Workers with a Criminal Record” by Zoë Cullen, Will Dobbie, and Mitchell Hoffman. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “The Effect of Criminal Records on Access to Employment” by Ama...

May 10, 20221 hr 1 minEp. 92

Episode 70: Pedro Souza on police body-worn cameras

Pedro Souza talks about the effects of police body-worn cameras in Brazil. “De-escalation Technology: The Impact of Body-worn Cameras on Citizen-police Interactions” by Daniel AC Barbosa, Thiemo Fetzer, Caterina Soto and Pedro CL Souza *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Wearing Body Cameras Incre...

Apr 26, 202255 minEp. 91

Episode 21: Aurelie Ouss on reducing failures-to-appear in court (REBROADCAST)

Aurelie Ouss talks about using insights from behavioral economics to reduce failures-to-appear in court. This episode was first posted in January 2020. "Nudging Crime Policy: Reducing Failures to Appear for Court" by Alissa Fishbane, Aurelie Ouss, and Anuj K. Shah. (Available from the authors upon request.) Related policy paper: "Using Behavioral Science to Improve Criminal Justice Outcomes: Preventing Failures to Appear in Court" by Brice Cook, Binta Zahra Diop, Alissa Fishbane, Jonathan Hayes,...

Apr 12, 202256 minEp. 90

Episode 31: Randi Hjalmarsson on jury decision-making (REBROADCAST)

Randi Hjalmarsson talks about how punishment severity affects juries' decisions to convict. This episode was first posted in June 2020. "How Punishment Severity Affects Jury Verdicts: Evidence from Two Natural Experiments" by Anna Bindler and Randi Hjalmarsson. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE:...

Mar 29, 202245 minEp. 89

Episode 69: Molly Schnell on school shootings

Molly Schnell talks about how exposure to school shootings affects students. “Trauma at School: The Impacts of Shootings on Students’ Human Capital and Economic Outcomes” by Marika Cabral, Bokyung Kim, Maya Rossin-Slater, Molly Schnell, and Hannes Schwandt *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Local...

Mar 15, 202248 minEp. 88

Bonus episode: Sarah Lageson on digital punishment

David Eil talks with Sarah Lageson about her book, " Digital Punishment: Privacy, Stigma, and the Harms of Data-Driven Criminal Justice ." *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work!...

Mar 08, 202251 minEp. 87

Episode 68: Andrew Barr on nutritional assistance in early childhood

Andrew Barr talks about how access to nutritional assistance in early childhood affects later criminal behavior. “Fighting Crime in the Cradle: The Effects of Early Childhood Access to Nutritional Assistance” by Andrew Barr and Alexander A. Smith *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: Episode 1 of P...

Mar 01, 202258 minEp. 86

Episode 67: David Phillips on mental health care for people released from jail

David Phillips talks about connecting people released from jail with mental health care. “Reducing Re-arrests through Light Touch Mental Health Outreach” by Mary Kate Batistich, William N. Evans and David C. Phillips *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Local Access to Mental Healthcare and Crime...

Feb 15, 202246 minEp. 85

Episode 66: Aaron Chalfin on what motivates police officers

Aaron Chalfin talks about the professional motivations of police officers. “The Professional Motivations of Police Officers” by Aaron Chalfin and Felipe Goncalves. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Political Economy at any Speed: What Determines Traffic Citations?” by Michael D. Makowsky &...

Feb 01, 202250 minEp. 84

Episode 65: Felipe Goncalves on whether police make too many arrests

Felipe Goncalves talks about how reductions in police enforcement activity affect crime. “Do Police Make Too Many Arrests? The Effect of Enforcement Pullbacks on Crime” by Sungwoo Cho, Felipe Goncalves, and Emily Weisburst. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “More COPS, Less Crime” by Steven Mel...

Jan 18, 202259 minEp. 83

Episode 64: Jason Baron on foster care placement

Jason Baron talks about how foster care placement affects future criminal justice contact. “Is There a Foster Care-To-Prison Pipeline? Evidence from Quasi-Random Investigator Assignment” by E. Jason Baron and Max Gross. [Working paper available by request from the authors.] *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN ...

Jan 04, 202253 minEp. 82

Episode 63: Elizabeth Luh on detecting racial bias in police stops

Elizabeth Luh talks about detecting racial bias in police stops. “Not so Black and White: Uncovering Racial Bias from Systematically Misreported Trooper Reports” by Elizabeth Luh. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Racial Bias in Motor Vehicle Searches: Theory and Evidence” by John Knowles, Nic...

Dec 21, 202132 minEp. 81

Episode 62: Yotam Shem-Tov on restorative justice diversion programs

Yotam Shem-Tov talks about how a restorative justice diversion program for San Francisco youth affected recidivism. “Can Restorative Justice Conferencing Reduce Recidivism? Evidence From the Make-it-Right Program” by Yotam Shem-Tov, Steven Raphael, and Alissa Skog. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPIS...

Dec 07, 202144 minEp. 80

Episode 61: Santiago Tobón on gang rule

Santiago Tobón talks about why gangs govern particular areas, and what to do about it. “Gang Rule: Understanding and Countering Criminal Governance” by Christopher Blattman, Gustavo Duncan, Benjamin Lessing, and Santiago Tobón. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “War Making and State Making as O...

Nov 23, 202133 minEp. 79

Episode 60: Elisa Jácome on access to mental health care

Elisa Jácome talks about how access to mental health care affects criminal behavior. “Mental Health and Criminal Involvement: Evidence from Losing Medicaid Eligibility” by Elisa Jácome. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OTHER RESEARCH WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: “Homeward: Life in the Year After Prison” by Bruce Western. “Thinking, Fast...

Nov 09, 202126 minEp. 78

Episode 14: Aaron Chalfin on street lighting and crime (REBROADCAST)

Aaron Chalfin talks about the effects of street lighting on crime. This episode was first posted in October 2019. "Reducing Crime Through Environmental Design: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment of Street Lighting in New York City" by Aaron Chalfin, Benjamin Hansen, Jason Lerner, and Lucie Parker. *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work! *** OT...

Oct 26, 202157 minEp. 77

Bonus episode: Carissa Byrne Hessick on plea bargaining

David Eil talks with Carissa Byrne Hessick about her book, "Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining Is a Bad Deal." *** Probable Causation is part of Doleac Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) corporation. If you enjoy the show, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution . Thank you for supporting our work!

Oct 19, 202146 minEp. 76
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