How to Stop Gun Violence Before It Starts

In this 30-minute talk, Professor Jens Ludwig of the University of Chicago examines America's gun violence epidemic through a behavioral economics lens. Discover why traditional approaches to curbing gun violence have failed despite decades of policy proposals and millions in funding. Learn how Ludwig, director of the UChicago Crime Lab and author of "Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence," challenges conventional thinking by revealing that most shootings aren't premeditated but result from escalating arguments. Explore data-backed interventions that address root causes beyond policy and policing, including the role of behavioral science in understanding impulsive decision-making, effective prevention strategies, common misconceptions about gun crime, policy failures, the economics of crime prevention, and a new framework for public safety. The presentation progresses through America's gun violence crisis, introduces Ludwig's research, analyzes why traditional solutions fail, examines behavioral science applications, presents data-driven strategies, showcases successful interventions, debunks misconceptions, critiques policy approaches, discusses economic aspects of prevention, and concludes with a new public safety framework and call to action.