To help answer that question I’m turning to Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. Senator Murphy has been one of Washington’s leading voices on gun violence reduction, a passion that was shaped by his experience in the aftermath of Sandy Hook, where he spent time with families and saw firsthand the impact of that tragedy .

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In this episode, we talk about the recent decline in gun violence nationally, what role federal legislation and local interventions may have played, and how the broader movement around this issue has evolved over time.

Chris Murphy, the junior United States senator for Connecticut, has dedicated his career to public service as an advocate for Connecticut families. Murphy has been a leading voice in the Senate, fighting for affordable health care, sensible gun laws, a forward-looking foreign policy, and a democracy and economy that serves working people. In 2022, he led the negotiations and helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first federal anti-gun violence bill in 30 years.

Prior to his election to the US Senate, Murphy served Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District for three terms in the US House of Representatives. During his time in the House, he worked to foster job creation, advocate for affordable health care for all Americans, and improve homeless veterans’ access to housing. Before being elected to Congress, Murphy served for eight years in the Connecticut General Assembly.

Senator Murphy grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut, and attended Williams College in Massachusetts before earning a law degree from the University ofConnecticut.

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You can also catch it on the Jeff-alytics YouTube page where I’ll be posting episodes and video clips, so be sure to like and subscribe there if you’re so obliged!

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Manhattan Institute Senior Editor Charles Fein Lehman

Civil rights attorney Jill Collin Jefferson

Law professor Rachel Harmon

Reporter Ken Dilanian

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The numbers are fairly clear, the reasons behind that are not. To get at some of the reasons why crime has trended as it as I’m turning to Charles Fain Lehman, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute who focuses on crime, disorder, and what he describes as the public policy of antisocial behavior.

In this episode, we talk through the differences in how we can explain what’s happening now, the role of policing and social factors, and how concepts like disorder shape how people experience safety in ways that don’t always show up in traditional metrics.

Charles Fain Lehman is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and senior editor of City Journal. He focuses primarily on the public policy of antisocial behavior, including issues of crime, drugs, and public disorder. His work has appeared in outlets including the New York Times, Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, and National Review, and he has discussed policy issues before the Senate, House of Representatives, and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

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Civil rights attorney Jill Collin Jefferson

Law professor Rachel Harmon

Reporter Ken Dilanian

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno

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My guest today is Jill Collin Jefferson, a civil and human rights attorney and the founder of JULIAN, an organization focused on investigating modern-day lynchings. JULIAN works with families and communities seeking answers in cases that have often gone unresolved or unquestioned.In this episode, we talk about how Jill approaches this work, how cases reach her in the first place, and what it takes to reexamine investigations that others have already moved on from. Jill walks us through the Willie Andrew Jones Jr. case in Mississippi, her arrest in Lexington while monitoring police, and the contentious relationships that come with exposing gaps in law enforcement investigations.

Jill Collen Jefferson, JULIAN’s founder and Executive Director, is a civil and human rights attorney who grew up in the racism and de facto segregation of rural Mississippi and was trained by the leaders of the civil rights movement. She was mentored by the great civil rights leader Julian Bond, the organization’s namesake, who taught her civil rights history and strategy. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she is now faculty in its Trial Advocacy Workshop. She hails from a farm in southeastern Mississippi.

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Law professor Rachel Harmon

Reporter Ken Dilanian

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno

Researcher and Former Crime Analyst Carlee Ruiz

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In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Harmon, law professor at the University of Virginia who previously served as a senior policy adviser for criminal justice for the White House Domestic Policy Council.

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Rachel provides a rare inside look at how crime policy really gets made, breaking down what it’s like working inside the White House -- where decisions move fast, data moves slow, and the pressure to respond to public fear doesn’t wait for evidence to catch up. She explains why even basic questions, like how big a problem carjacking actually is, can be nearly impossible to answer in real time, and how that gap shapes policy decisions.

The conversation dives into the messy reality behind “data-driven policy,” including:

* Why crime data often arrives too late to guide decisions.

* How political pressure competes with long-term strategy.

* What it takes to actually implement policy after it’s announced.

* And why the U.S. still lacks basic data on policing, charges and system outcomes.

Tune in for a fun, informative conversation on the messy business of making Federal criminal justice policy.

Rachel Harmon is the Harrison Robertson Professor of Law and directs the Center for Criminal Justice at the University of Virginia School of Law. She is one of the nation’s leading scholars on policing and the law.

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Reporter Ken Dilanian

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno

Researcher and Former Crime Analyst Carlee Ruiz

Council on Criminal Justice President Adam Gelb

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott

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Today, we talk about crime data, the challenges of media coverage in 2026, the impact of political shifts on justice institutions, and a whole lot more in this jam-packed conversation. There are few journalists in the country with a better front row seat to the Justice Department in 2026 and Ken paints a fascinating picture of what it takes to cover it.

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Ken Dilanian is a veteran journalist covering the Justice Department, FBI, and national security for MSNBC (MSNOW), formerly NBC News.

With over 30 years in journalism—including decades as a newspaper reporter—he specializes in intelligence, legal affairs, and federal law enforcement. He has reported extensively on crime data, public perception of crime, and the intersection of politics and justice.

Follow Ken’s work at:

* MSNBC / MSNOW – National security & justice coverage

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New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno

Researcher and Former Crime Analyst Carlee Ruiz

Council on Criminal Justice President Adam Gelb

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott

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Mayor Moreno has had a front row seat to the city’s crime rise and subsequent decline, and she details what she attributes the historic drop to — a combination of prevention investments like expanded summer jobs programs and violence intervention, targeted policing of the most violent offenders, and critical partnerships with state and federal law enforcement. Crime and criminal justice issues in New Orleans are often a microcosm of what is happening nationally, and this conversation puts a spotlight on how to attack problems happening both in New Orleans and throughout the country.

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Mayor Helena Moreno is a leader whose path to City Hall began not in politics, but as an Emmy-winning investigative reporter at WDSU. After years of exposing systemic failures behind the anchor desk, Moreno transitioned to public service in 2010, eventually serving as City Council President before her historic mayoral victory in 2025. Throughout her career, she has been a tireless advocate for accountability and equity—spearheading reforms ranging from cannabis decriminalization and renewable energy initiatives to expanded protections for sexual assault survivors. Born in Mexico and fueled by her early experiences as an immigrant, Mayor Moreno now brings that same spirit of urgency and responsiveness to the city’s highest office.

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Researcher and Former Crime Analyst Carlee Ruiz

Council on Criminal Justice President Adam Gelb

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott

Filmmakers Ferne Pearlstein and Bob Edwards

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Carlee highlights how valuable evidence-based insights are often inaccessible or underused, and explores the growing role of data, AI, and technologies like real-time crime centers in policing. The conversation also examines the balance between anecdotal experience and empirical evidence, emphasizing that context and implementation matter. Ruiz further discusses recruitment and retention challenges, pointing to leadership and organizational culture as key drivers of officer turnover.

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Carlee Ruiz is a former crime and intelligence analyst with the Modesto Police Department and now works in research and technical assistance for law enforcement agencies at RTI International. She saw firsthand that much of the research useful to officers wasn’t easily accessible, which inspired her to create a website that translates peer-reviewed studies into practical, actionable insights for policing.

Please give the episode a listen and rate it if you're so inclined (5 stars and up please!).

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Council on Criminal Justice President Adam Gelb

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott

Filmmakers Ferne Pearlstein and Bob Edwards

Professor and researcher Ian Adams

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For this conversation, we talk about why murder has fallen so dramatically over the last few years, how you build a sustainable organization that spans the political spectrum, and how CCJ brings together experts on such a wide range of topics covering everything from crime trends to the future of AI in criminal justice.

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Adam Gelb has been working for a more just and effective criminal justice system throughout a varied 40-year career. Before founding the Council on Criminal Justice in 2019, Gelb was an award-winning crime reporter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, staff to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, crime policy director for the lieutenant governor of Maryland, director of the Georgia Sentencing Commission, and led public safety initiatives at the Pew Charitable Trusts. Gelb speaks frequently with the media about national trends and state innovations and advises policy makers on strategies that are grounded in facts, evidence, and fundamental principles of justice.

Please give the episode a listen and rate it if you're so inclined (5 stars and up please!).

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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott

Filmmakers Ferne Pearlstein and Bob Edwards

Professor and researcher Ian Adams

Politics podcaster Galen Druke

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To better understand this amazing turnaround, I talked to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. Mayor Scott shares his journey to becoming mayor, the city's innovative strategies, and his insights on reducing gun violence and transforming public safety in Baltimore. This is an episode about how data-driven approaches, community engagement, and leadership are shaping one city’s future.

Brandon M. Scott is the 52nd Mayor of Baltimore, and the youngest person to hold the position in more than 100 years. Mayor Scott is committed to ending gun violence, restoring the public’s trust in government and creating a brighter, better and more equitable Baltimore for all.

Please give the episode a listen and rate it if you're so inclined (5 stars and up please!).

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Filmmakers Ferne Pearlstein and Bob Edwards

Professor and researcher Ian Adams

Politics podcaster Galen Druke

Arnold Ventures Executive Vice President Jennifer Doleac

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Talking to them and trying to tease out what lessons it might have for understanding and communicating about crime was a conversation that I really wanted to have and one that I really enjoyed. I think you will too.

Ferne Pearlstein is an award-winning producer, director, cinematographer, and editor, based in New York. She is a winner of the Sundance Cinematography Prize, and a member of the Documentary Branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. In addition to her features SUMO EAST AND WEST and THE LAST LAUGH, which she produced, directed, shot, and edited, and both of which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and aired nationally on PBS”s Independent Lens series, she is currently producing JACK WHITTEN: A COSMIC SOUL, directed by Yoruba Richen.

Robert Edwards is writer, filmmaker, and the author of Resisting the Right: How to Survive the Gathering Storm, published by OR Books, about how to resist right wing authoritarianism in the US. He wrote and directed the feature films LAND OF THE BLIND, starring Ralph Fiennes and Donald Sutherland, and WHEN I LIVE MY LIFE OVER AGAIN, (aka ONE MORE TIME) starring Christopher Walken and Amber Heard. Most recently he co-produced and co-directed the feature documentary DEATH & TAXES with Justin Schein, and writes The King’s Necktie, a weekly blog on politics.

ASK E. JEAN, director Ivy Meeropol’s feature documentary about E. Jean Carroll, which premiered at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival, and on which Ferne a writer, editor, and supervising producer, will be in theaters this spring.

Catch it here, below, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Professor and researcher Ian Adams

Politics podcaster Galen Druke

Arnold Ventures Executive Vice President Jennifer Doleac

FBI Assistant Director Timothy Ferguson

AI has come a long way in the last few years but it still isn’t perfect. Within AI is the potential for revolutionary disruption of traditional processes, but there is also the danger of relying too heavily on a tool that is only right most of the time for efforts that require perfection or near perfection.

For this conversation, I turned to Ian Adams. Ian is an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. Before taking his PhD in political science at the University of Utah, he was a police officer and police labor executive. His research is focused on policing, broadly construed, with a focus on behavior and technology.

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Ian has also researched and written extensively about AI, and today’s conversation is all about the uses of AI in policing, the potential/actual pitfalls, and where this technology might be heading in the world of criminal justice.

If you’re interested in some extra credit work, two papers related to this topic you should check out are:

* Adams, I. T., Barter, M., McLean, K., Boehme, H. M., & Geary, I. A. (2024). No man’s hand: Artificial intelligence does not improve police report writing speed. Journal of Experimental Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-024-09644-7

* Adams, I. T., McLean, K., & Alpert, G. P. (2026). Improving police behavior through artificial intelligence: Pre-registered experimental results in two large US agencies. Criminology, 0(0), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.70028

To get in touch or peruse peruse different papers/projects/dashboards, Ian’s website is ianadamsresearch.com.

Catch this great episode here, below, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Politics podcaster Galen Druke

Arnold Ventures Executive Vice President Jennifer Doleac

FBI Assistant Director Timothy Ferguson

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams

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There’s a national election coming up in November and we discuss whether the nation’s crime trends will play a role or if the fact that crime is dropping will make it a political non-issue for the midterms. The discussion also touches on the potential for bipartisan collaboration in criminal justice reform and the evolving landscape of political communication. I don’t delve into politics often so it was good to have a knowledgeable guide like Galen for this terrific conversation.

Galen Druke is the host of the GD POLITICS podcast, which aims to explain politics and the world with curiosity, rigor and a sense of humor. He previously covered elections for 10 years at FiveThirtyEight, where he hosted their popular politics podcast.

Catch this great episode here, below, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Arnold Ventures Executive Vice President Jennifer Doleac

FBI Assistant Director Timothy Ferguson

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams

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Jen is one of the most thoughtful scholars on how we can solve criminal justice problems with research-backed policies, and this is a conversation I’ve been looking forward to having ever since launching the podcast.

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We talk about her transition from academia to Arnold Ventures and the importance of evidence-based policy in criminal justice reform. We also discuss the need for leniency in handling first-time offenders, the significance of swift and certain consequences in deterring crime, and the role of DNA technology in solving crimes. It’s a great conversation about following research to improve policy decisions.

Jennifer Doleac is an economist and the Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy focused on evidence-based policy in the US. She is the author of THE SCIENCE OF SECOND CHANCES, and the host of Probable Causation, a podcast about research related to crime and criminal justice policy. She is a leading expert on the economics of crime, and a vocal proponent of using rigorous research to inform policy.

Give it a listen here on Substack, below, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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FBI Assistant Director Timothy Ferguson

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams

Jens Ludwig from the Chicago Crime Lab

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There have been massive advances in how the FBI collects and publishes crime data over the last few years and today I am talking with the man in charge of that operation: FBI Assistant Director Tim Ferguson. Tim runs the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division which, among other things, runs the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. CJIS has made dramatic leaps in producing fast, accurate crime data that makes it possible to better understand our crime trends in near real-time.

Tim shares his unexpected journey from a small farming town in Illinois to a leadership role within the FBI, detailing his diverse experiences in law enforcement, including violent crime and narcotics investigations. He emphasizes the importance of stepping outside one’s comfort zone and embracing new challenges, which ultimately led him to his current position at CJIS, where he oversees a vast array of services and technologies that support law enforcement across the nation.

This is a special, inside look at how the crime data sausage gets made.

Check it out here, below, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Jason Williams

Jens Ludwig

Jerry Ratcliffe

Jason led the New Orleans City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee when I was a public safety consultant for the council, so it was a great joy to get to talk to him about his work in New Orleans as he approaches the end of his first term.

In this conversation, we discuss the challenges of balancing crime reduction with justice and how the innovative “N.O.D.I.C.E” program addresses the geographic footprint of crime in New Orleans. Jason emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making, community engagement, and the myriad of challenges stemming from non-unanimous juries in Louisiana.

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The Honorable Jason Rogers Williams was sworn in as District Attorney of Orleans Parish on January 11, 2021. He is a proud Tulane University Law School Alumni. After graduating law school, he started his own law practice focused on criminal defense, Jason Rogers Williams and Associates. After winning a series of high-profile criminal cases, the Louisiana Supreme Court appointed Jason as a judge in New Orleans’ Criminal District Court. In 2014, he saw an opportunity to make government work for the people of New Orleans and ran for City Council. He was a council member for six years, four of which he served as Council President, before being elected District Attorney on a promise of sweeping justice reforms. Jason is a proud and devoted father to three children: 5-year-old Xavier, 17-year-old Graham, and 23-year-old Zoe. He lives in uptown New Orleans with his wife, Liz, founder of the Center of Resilience, his youngest son, and a very sweet but very bossy pit bull, Jean Louise.  

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If you like the show, feel free to like, subscribe, and leave a glowing review. And be sure to give recent episodes a listen!

Jens Ludwig

Jerry Ratcliffe

Dara Lind

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Today, Jens Ludwig discusses his extensive research on gun violence, particularly focusing on youth violence and the role of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. He emphasizes the importance of using data and behavioral science to understand and address the root causes of gun violence.

Jens also critiques media representations of gun violence and shares insights from his book 'Unforgiving Places,' which explores the complexities of gun violence in America. He offers practical policy recommendations for reducing gun violence, highlighting the need for community engagement and innovative intervention programs.

Jens Ludwig is the Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago and Pritzker director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, and author of “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence” (University of Chicago Press, 2025).

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Jerry Ratcliffe

Dara Lind

William Reynolds

This is a fun conversation with one of the most engaging and thoughtful voices out there on how we can use research and science to improve policing outcomes. Jerry also hosts a terrific podcast of his own called Reducing Crime so be sure to check that out!

Jerry Ratcliffe is a former British police officer, college professor, and host of the Reducing Crime podcast. He works with police agencies around the world on crime reduction, leadership, and criminal intelligence strategy. ​After an ice-climbing accident ended a decade-long career with London’s Metropolitan Police, he earned a first class honors degree and a PhD from the University of Nottingham. He has published over 100 research articles and eleven books, including “Reducing Crime: A Companion for Police Leaders” and “Evidence-Based Policing: The Basics”. Ratcliffe has been a research adviser to the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Commissioner, an instructor for the ATF intelligence academy, and he is a scientific advisor to the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a Professor of Practice and the Faculty Director of the Master of Applied Criminology and Police Leadership in the Department of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Check out this episode here on Substack or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Dara Lind

Alex Piquero

William Reynolds

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In this conversation, Dara and I discuss her extensive background in immigration policy and reporting, the complexities of the U.S. immigration system, and the often misunderstood relationship between immigration and crime. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical context of immigration policy, the judicial responses to enforcement actions, and the public's perception of immigrants in relation to crime. Dara also shares her personal journey into immigration advocacy and the challenges of effectively communicating these issues in today's media landscape.

Dara Lind is an immigration policy expert and Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council. She has extensive reporting experience covering immigration policy for ProPublica and Vox and co-hosting the Vox podcast “The Weeds.” She has covered immigration in some form since the end of the George W. Bush administration.

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This conversation explores the significant reduction in homicides in Atlantic County from 2012 to 2025, highlighting the strategies and reforms implemented to achieve this decline. The discussion delves into the factors contributing to the decrease in crime rates and the implications for public safety and law enforcement.

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Check it out here on Substack or wherever you get your podcasts!

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William E. Reynolds was nominated to be the Atlantic County Prosecutor by Governor Philip Murphy on May 16, 2022. Assumed the role on June 6, 2022 and was confirmed unanimously by the New Jersey State Senate on August 8, 2022 for a 5 year term. Bill is a lifelong resident of Atlantic County, where he is raising his twin 16 year old boys. Bill's persistence and relentless pursuit of justice is the driving force of his decision making without fear or favor.

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We chat about the importance of crime data, particularly the National Crime Victimization Survey, and the challenges of public perception versus reality in crime trends. Piquero also highlights the intersection of sports and crime research, emphasizing the need for accurate data collection and communication.

And, most importantly, Alex and I finally address the Miami Hurricanes using an illegal 5th down to beat Tulane in 1972.

Check it out here on Substack or wherever you get your podcasts!

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And if you’re interested in a quick video on NCVS we did one over on the Aggregated channel that you might enjoy!

Alex R. Piquero is Professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminology and Arts & Sciences Distinguished Scholar the University of Miami and previously served as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one of the nation’s thirteen federal statistical agencies (appointed by President Biden, June 2022). Dr. Piquero is a nationally and internationally recognized criminologist with more than 26 years of experience. Over the course of his career, Dr. Piquero has given congressional testimony on evidence-based crime prevention practices and has provided counsel and support to several local, state, national and international criminal justice agencies and elected leaders. His expertise ranges from criminal careers to criminal justice policy and crime prevention to the intersection of race/ethnicity and crime, with a focus on quantitative methodology.

Dr. Piquero has published over 500 scholarly articles and several books and is among the most highly cited criminologists in the world. He also served as editor of the Journal of Quantitative Criminology and the Justice Evaluation Journal. He is a Fellow of both the American Society of Criminology and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. In 2019, he received the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Bruce Smith Sr. Award for outstanding contributions to criminal justice, and in 2020, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Division of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology of the American Society of Criminology.

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Things started as awful as possible here in New Orleans with the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street. A few weeks later, my hometown got more snow (10 inches!) than it had had in more than 125 years combined(!).

It was a good year for analyzing the nation’s crime trends, especially in light of the trends themselves. How many other people got cited by the Biden White House in January and the Trump White House in December?

I first picked up on the sharp decline in crime in April, first wrote about the possibility of a historically low murder rate in May, wrote about DC a couple of times, and summed it all up a few weeks ago.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about how we communicate crime data and trends. This newsletter is a tried and true way of explaining trends, but we at the Real-Time Crime Index want to do more. We’ve created social media pages including on YouTube and Instagram (@RealTimeCrimeIndex) to talk about data and trends through short form video that hopefully will reach the small handful of people out there who don’t subscribe to the newsletter.

Here’s our latest on the differences between UCR and NCVS:

Oh, and I also launched a podcast! The podcast has been a great vehicle for talking about how we talk about crime and how it can be better communicated.

There have been 10 episodes with links to all 10 available below. I have a ton of great guests lined up for the next few months including a fun conversation with former BJS director Alex Piquero next week.

Michael Lewis

Laura Arnold

Philip Bump

Anna Harvey

Whitney Westerfield

Larry Krasner

Susan Parker

Ganesha Martin

Paul Krugman

Ifetayo Harvey

For today’s episode, my wonderful producer Amber Krasinski and I picked out three moments from the first 10 episodes that stood out to me. It’s a short listen but a good way to recap the pod so far and look forward to what I hope will be a wonderful 2026.

Feel free to give it a listen above or at any of the links below:

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Thanks for reading and listening and following this year and I’ll see you all in 2026!

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Ifetayo Harvey is a writer, advocate, and speaker, and the founder and executive director of the POC Psychedelic Collective. She began her writing career as a monthly contributor to her hometown newspaper, The Post and Courier, and later interned with the Drug Policy Alliance, where she spoke at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference about growing up with an incarcerated parent. Her story has since been featured on National Public Radio, and her work spans articles, book contributions, and public speaking focused on parental incarceration, drug policy, and the war on drugs.

Check this episode out here on Substack or at any of the links below!

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Finally, one other note if you’ve made it this far! The Real-Time Crime Index is now updated through October 2025. The current sample consists of 570 agencies — our largest number yet! — covering around 115 million people. Crime is down a lot but more on that next week!

In this episode of the Jeff-alytics Podcast, Paul and I discuss his extensive background in economics, the challenges of communicating economic realities, and the discrepancies between public perception and actual data. He emphasizes the role of media in shaping these perceptions and the impact of social media on public trust in data. We also reflect on the importance of success stories in economics and crime reporting, the changing media landscape, and shares his experiences with the Nobel Prize. He concludes by expressing his current focus on his Substack and the balance between work and enjoying life.

Listen above or on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Guest Bio:

Paul Krugman is a research professor at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, a core faculty member at the Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality, and a LIS senior scholar. He previously taught at MIT, Stanford, and Princeton. He is the author or co-author of many academic papers and numerous books aimed at both professional and general audiences, including Market Structure and Foreign Trade, Geography and Trade, The Return of Depression Economics, and Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future.

In recognition of his work on international trade and economic geography, Krugman received the John Bates Clark award of the American Economic Association in 1991, the Prince of Asturias award for social sciences in 2004, and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2008. For nearly 25 years, he was an op-ed columnist and commentator for The New York Times. In December 2024, he reintroduced his Substack newsletter.

Link & Resources:

* Learn more about Paul Krugman on the CUNY Graduate Center website.

* Follow Paul’s Substack for economic insights and more.

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

* Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex

* Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI

* Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Ganesha Martin transitioned unexpectedly from law to policing and the role she played in Baltimore during a time of crisis and community unrest.
• Why Minneapolis is unique in working under both a state settlement agreement and a federal consent decree.
• What does it look like to create innovative, practical reform that speaks to the experience of police and community? 
• How public perceptions of police and crime, shaped by media and personal experiences, often overshadow statistical improvements in crime rates.
• What role do consent decrees play in police departments, and how are they used to improve policing?
• Why investment in technology, training, and community engagement is crucial for effective policing.

Guest Bio:

Ganesha Martin, Esq. is a human-centered public safety expert and Bureau Chief of Constitutional Policing for the Minneapolis Police Department. She has led major reform efforts in Minneapolis, Baltimore, and nationally, bridging the needs of communities and the officers who serve them. Ganesha is widely sought after for her work on consent decrees, community engagement, and reimagining what just and effective public safety can look like.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Ganesha Martin on her website: GaneshaMartin.com

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex
• Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI
• Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How does quantitative social science intersect with both health and crime?
• What is NIBRS, how does it differ from previous crime reporting systems, and why was it adopted nationwide?
• How does the crime reporting process work, and how has NIBRS data been used to uncover trends like gun thefts and non-fatal shootings?
• What challenges do agencies face when implementing NIBRS, and how do resource constraints and training needs affect reporting?
• How can NIBRS data reveal changes in crime trends after policy shifts, and why is timely reporting essential for accuracy?
• How can crime data be effectively communicated to the public, and why is accessibility and engagement so important?

Guest Bio:

Dr. Susan Parker is a Research Assistant Professor in the Buehler Center for Health Policy & Economics in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Northwestern University. Her research applies quantitative methods to crime and health research questions and data.

Website:

• Learn more about Dr. Susan Parker on her website: Susan T. Parker.

Resources:

Azrael, D., & Parker, S. T. (2025). Trends in gun theft. Council on Criminal Justice. https://counciloncj.org/trends-in-gun-theft/

National Bureau of Economic Research. (2025, October 10). The economics of firearm markets, crime, and gun violence, fall 2025. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://www.nber.org/conferences/economics-firearm-markets-crime-and-gun-violence-fall-2025

Parker, S. T. (2022, May 2). Measuring gun violence in police data sources: Transitioning to NIBRS. Injury Epidemiology, 9, Article 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-022-00376-8

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @RealTimeCrimeIndex
• LinkedIn: Real-Time Crime Index
• Website: The Jeff-alytics Podcast

Krasner shares insights on how his office has adapted policies based on data and the importance of storytelling in communicating success. He also addresses the future goals for his office and offers advice to other district attorneys on effective communication and engagement with the media.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What has Larry Krasner’s experience as the District Attorney of Philadelphia been like?
• How is the Philadelphia DA’s office embracing data to communicate their approach to criminal justice?
• The unlikely candidate Krasner hired to lead the DA’s data lab
• How is transparency in data crucial, regardless of data outcomes?
• What is the impact of effective communication on the residents of Philadelphia’s perceptions of crime?
• How can investing in prevention become a key factor in crime reduction?
• What aspect of criminal investigation plays a significant role in solving crimes and ensuring justice?
• How is contextualizing crime data essential for public understanding?
• What policies has Krasner's office adapted policies based on data findings?
• How is community engagement vital for effective crime reduction strategies?

Guest Bio: 

Larry Krasner, born in 1961 in St. Louis to a World War II veteran and a minister, earned degrees from the University of Chicago and Stanford Law School, where he focused on social justice rather than corporate law. After graduating in 1987, he returned to Philadelphia to work as a public defender and later founded his own criminal defense and civil rights practice in 1993. Over his career, he has tried thousands of cases, filed more than 75 civil rights lawsuits against police misconduct, and defended activists and marginalized communities at little to no cost. As Philadelphia’s District Attorney, Larry has prioritized justice reform—supporting victims, exonerating the innocent, reducing incarceration, holding police accountable, and addressing the root causes of crime. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife of 37 years.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Larry Krasner at KrasnerforDA.com.

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex
• Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI
• Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/

Whitney reflects on his proudest legislative achievements, including juvenile justice reform and victim rights, while also addressing the complexities of voting against party lines. The discussion highlights the need for accurate crime data and the public's perception of crime trends, emphasizing the importance of advocacy and informed policymaking.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What are Whitney Westerfield’s reflections as a former state senator and prosecutor in criminal justice?
• What is the importance of data in shaping effective policies?
• What invaluable insights did Whitney gain to help him understand the justice system?
• How is data-driven decision-making important in the legislative voting process?
• What are complex challenges to the criminal justice reform process?
• How can public perception often misrepresents crime trends?
• What types of advocacy are crucial for informed policymaking?
• What is the impact of building relationships with legislators?
• What is Whitney’s vision for his advocacy work in criminal justice reform?

Guest Bio: 

Whitney is a former state senator, judiciary chairman, and prosecutor.  He works in criminal justice policy through his firm Catalyst Collaborative, and serves as the Director of Legal and Government Affairs for LifeSkills, Inc., in Kentucky.  When he’s not working, Whitney and his wife, Amanda, have their hands full with five children, including one-year-old triplets!

Resources & Links:

• Whitney Westerfield’s Website

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• Instagram: @RealTimeCrimeIndex
• LinkedIn: Real-Time Crime Index
• Website: The Jeff-alytics Podcast

Anna explains the challenges of data collection, why understanding jail populations is essential for meaningful reform, and how accurate data can shape criminal justice policies. The discussion also explores the need for stronger data-sharing agreements and the exciting potential for future research to inform evidence-based change.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How the Jail Data Initiative uses daily detainee-level data to deliver unprecedented insights into jail populations.
• How the project, launched in September 2019, evolved into a robust population dashboard used by researchers and policymakers.
• The population dashboard enables users to filter jail data by demographics, geography, and time frame to uncover trends, as well as request permission to access an additional database containing daily, individual-level data.
• How developing a common data-sharing framework could enhance collaboration among agencies and advance research on the criminal justice system. 
• Why accurate data is critical in evaluating policy reforms and driving improvements in public safety.

Guest Bio:

Anna Harvey is Professor of Politics, Affiliated Professor of Data Science, Affiliated Professor of Law, and the founder and Director of the Public Safety Lab at New York University. The Public Safety Lab’s projects include the Jail Data Initiative, a large-scale effort to collect daily individual-level jail records in over 1,000 local jails in the United States, and the Prosecutorial Reform Initiative, a collaborative effort with several district attorneys’ offices to develop more effective prosecutorial policies. Professor Harvey is the author of three books and numerous peer-reviewed articles, including work on misdemeanor prosecution, crime victimization, fiscal incentives in law enforcement, and voting from jail.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Anna Harvey at https://wp.nyu.edu/annaharvey/
• Learn more about the Jail Data Initiative at https://publicsafetylab.org
• Visit the Jail Data Initiative population dashboard at https://jaildatainitiative.org

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex
• Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI
• Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why do Americans often believe crime is rising, even when data shows otherwise?
• How media stories, political agendas, personal anecdotes, and isolated incidents amplify fear of crime beyond what the data shows.
• Can crime data and individual tragedies be presented together in a way that feels both accurate and meaningful?
• How do emerging technologies, like video surveillance apps, online neighborhood groups, and cell phone footage, shape audiences’ perceptions of crime beyond traditional media?
• How can gut sentiment about topics like immigration or trade deficits conflict with hard data, and how does this impact politics?
• Why do individuals tend to favor news that aligns with their personal views on crime, and is there a solution for traditional media to combat misinformation and personal biases? 
• How understanding the motivations behind crime narratives can provide a deeper context and more balanced conversations.

Guest Bio: 

Philip Bump is former columnist for The Washington Post. As one of the paper's most read writers, he focused on the data behind polls and political rhetoric. He also writes a weekly newsletter, "How To Read This Chart."

Resources & Links:

• How To Read This Chart newsletter
• Phillip Bump’s website

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex
• Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI
• Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The gap between crime data and public perception is significant; evidence-based policy is vital for effective criminal justice reform.
• How Laura and her husband’s passion for philanthropy, coupled with their interest in the criminal justice system, led to the launch of a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based policy solutions.
• How data-driven, unbiased research can guide conversations and lead to actionable, lasting solutions.
• Why community engagement is essential for reshaping perceptions about data and building trust within communities.
• How quality-of-life crimes shape public perceptions of safety and fuel misleading narratives.
• Laura’s vision for the future: how can we build a culture of evidence-based practices across policing, pre-trial, prisons, reintegration, and community supervision?

Guest Bio:
Laura Arnold is founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, Arnold Ventures is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity.

Laura and her husband, John, first launched a charitable foundation in 2008. Their philanthropic focus has since expanded to cover areas such as education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. The Arnolds became signatories of the Giving Pledge in 2010.

With an extensive, 15+-year history, Arnold Ventures has been one of the foremost results-oriented philanthropies in the United States. The philanthropy consists of more than 100 experts and leaders on a mission to understand and solve the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems.

Prior to Arnold Ventures, Laura was executive vice president and general counsel for a global oil exploration company based in Houston. She is a founding partner of the REFORM Alliance, a national criminal justice advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the number of people needlessly ensnared in the revolving door of probation and parole, as well as the penalizing nature of fees and fines. She also serves on the Leadership Advisory Council for the Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School.

Laura is a trustee emeritus for the Rice University Board of Trustees. She earned her law degree from Yale Law School, a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College.

Laura was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She and John have three children and live in Houston.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Arnold Ventures at www.arnoldventures.org

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex
• Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI
• Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_pod

They discuss the challenges of effectively communicating crime statistics, the importance of storytelling in data analysis, and the impact of social media on crime trends. 

The conversation underscores the importance of accurate crime data in informing public policy and highlights innovative approaches that can engage the public in understanding the realities of crime. 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Americans are experiencing a dramatic drop in crime that’s largely missing from the conversation. Why public perception often suggests crime is rising—even when the data says otherwise.
• How stories like Moneyball and The Big Short incorporate strong data components and provide compelling narratives.
• Why is there a perception gap between crime and reality? How telling data-driven stories in engaging, relatable ways can help the public connect with crime trends.
• How Moneyball continues to influence audiences 20 years later, inspiring people to apply data-driven thinking to new areas or share their own stories with Michael Lewis.
• Getting data in front of the right audience is essential for informed public policy, analysis, and public awareness.
• What’s next for Michael Lewis: his next book and his recent movie cameo

Guest Bio:
Michael Lewis is the best-selling author of Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, The Blind Side, The Big Short, The Undoing Project, and The Fifth Risk. He lives in Berkeley, California, with his family.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Michael Lewis at www.michaellewiswrites.com 

Follow the Jeff-alytics Podcast:

• Instagram: @realtimecrimeindex
• Youtube: @Aggregated_RTCI
• Website: www.ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/

Jeff Asher—nationally recognized crime data analyst, co-founder of AH Datalytics, co-creator of the Real-Time Crime Index, and author of the Jeff-alytics newsletter—sits down with policymakers, academics, journalists, and everyday people to reveal what the numbers actually show. 

Each episode challenges the myths we believe, exposes the gap between headlines and reality, and asks: what happens when we finally see crime clearly?

Launching October 1, 2025. Visit ahdatalytics.com/jeff-alytics_podcast/ for more!