Convening on Effective US Crime Policy

Conference
Cronograma:
to
Location:
MIT
Image of attendees at the convening.

Overview

J-PAL North America is dedicated to advancing fair and effective criminal legal policies through rigorous research and evidence generation. 

In June 2025, we hosted a convening for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to celebrate the launch of J-PAL North America’s new Initiative for Effective US Crime Policy (IECP). This initiative is dedicated to generating rigorous evidence on impactful, fair, and cost-effective public safety, enforcement, and crime prevention policies.

Through engaging panels and discussions, this event:

  • Highlighted findings from J-PAL North America’s forthcoming literature review, which identifies gaps in evidence and outlines priority areas for research to improve criminal legal outcomes.
  • Announced the launch of J-PAL North America’s dedicated funding stream for randomized evaluations related to the criminal legal system, with an inaugural RFP round in Fall 2025.
  • Shared best practices and stories from successful researcher-practitioner partnerships that demonstrate the value of rigorous evaluations in shaping equitable policies.
  • Built connections among researchers, policymakers, and organizations to catalyze new research collaborations focused on crime prevention and reduction.

This convening presented a unique opportunity for leading researchers and practitioners in the criminal legal field to network, share insights, and explore groundbreaking research and pressing policy priorities.

Agenda

Day 1 | June 5

04:00 - 04:20 pm | Welcome Remarks (Amanda Agan, Cornell University; Sara Heller, University of Michigan)

04:30 - 06:00 pm | Reception with Hosted Bar

Day 2 | June 6

08:00 - 09:00 am | Breakfast 

09:00 - 09:20 am | Opening Address (Amanda Agan, Cornell University; Sara Heller, University of Michigan)

09:20 - 10:20 am | Randomized Evaluations in the Criminal Legal System (Emma Rackstraw, Swarthmore) 

10:20 - 10:40 am | Break

10:40 - 11:40 am | Preventing Violence in Communities (Alicia Modestino, Northeastern University; Kimberly Smith, Crime Lab; moderator Laura Feeney, J-PAL North America) 

11:40 - 12:45 pm | Lunch

12:45 - 01:45 pm | Fireside Chat: From Evidence to Action (Jennifer Doleac, Arnold Ventures; and Elizabeth Glazer, Vital City) 

01:45 - 02:15 pm | Break

02:15 - 03:15 pm | Building Government Partnerships Across the Criminal Legal System (Alex Chohlas-Wood, NYU; Sarah Tahamont, University of Maryland; Johanna Lacoe, California Policy Lab; Nedda Alaee, Santa Clara County Public Defender; and Emily Owens, University of California, Irvine; moderator Louise Geraghty, J-PAL North America)

03:15 - 03:45 pm | Closing remarks (Laura Feeney, J-PAL North America)