Thomas Abt

According to preliminary estimates from BJS' NCVS, violent crime declined by 25% in 2025. It's another data point joining many others indicating a massive crime drop over the past few years. bjs.ojp.gov/library/publ...

This article by @tahir.bsky.social describes a promising new development: community safety departments. I'm in favor of exploring these as long as they're understood as a complement to, and not a substitute for, traditional law enforcement. newrepublic.com/article/2159...

“In the research, the challenge in the gun violence sphere is not discovery. It’s disciplined application.” VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social on the challenges of translating knowledge into practice.

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social joined Marcus Ellis, Latisha McNeil and Kim Gutierrez for @thetrace.org’s #SaferTogether forum. They discussed how cities can implement effective violence reduction strategies. Watch the full panel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=josH...

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social joined @thetrace.org #SaferTogether Forum discussing approaches to reducing violence and building safer communities. VRC takeaway: Effective violence reduction requires implementing evidence-informed strategies with fidelity and discipline.

The decline in the US murder rate has been historic and the current rate is historically low, but comparing the US to our European friends points to just how much improvement can still be had in the United States. jasher.substack.com/p/when-will-...

Did the DC takeover cause crime to fall? @thomasabt.bsky.social spoke with @washingtonpost.com about the importance of considering all the factors when evaluating the impact of violence reduction efforts. Read more: archive.ph/JXId5#select...

This is not, and has never been, about reducing crime. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Smartest piece on AI I've read so far. www.gatesnotes.com/work/make-ai...

Crime is down in Washington, D.C. But what explains the decline? VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social spoke with @pbsnews.org about why the trend that preceded the National Guard deployment matters when evaluating its impact. www.pbs.org/video/dc-dep...

Couldn't say it any better: "That is the larger lesson of Baltimore’s progress: cities do not have to choose between accountability and support. With hard work, cities can build a system to deliver both." thehill.com/opinion/crim...

For those who know OJP and OVW, this is deeply disturbing news that promises to further politicize the grantmaking processes at USDOJ. www.cbsnews.com/news/justice...

This week, the @cityofatlantaga.bsky.social is bringing together the information, people, and resources needed to strengthen its violence reduction strategy. Read more here: atl.direct/atlanta-lead...

“Our commitment to reducing gun violence in the Bull City requires total collaboration across local governments, organizations already doing this critical work, and our residents.” — Mayor Leonardo Williams.

Building safer neighborhoods was at the forefront of @cityofatlantaga.bsky.social practicum. Stakeholders came together to identify coordinated, people-centered approaches to reducing violence and saving lives. Stay connected for the practicum recommendations. atl.direct/atlanta-lead...

Friday afternoon is the ideal time to release data on how much reported crime is improving in the US. For example, murder fell at the fastest pace ever recorded in 2025 to the lowest rate since before 1960. I wrote some thoughts on the FBI's annual crime report. jasher.substack.com/p/the-fbi-re...

No single strategy is enough to reduce violence on its own. Through the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, Save Lives Now! brings focused deterrence, CBT, and street outreach together, three strategies, one coordinated approach. Thank you to the partners on this work.

From Durham to Baltimore to St. Louis, conversations about evidence-informed violence reduction continue to gain momentum. See where the VRC's collaboration was featured this quarter in our latest newsletter. Read more: mailchi.mp/9e5a21f86e4f...

In this article, VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social cautions against easy answers when it comes to crime reduction: “I haven’t seen any hard evidence that suggests that aggressive immigration enforcement has any effect on crime, positive or negative...It takes time for research to come out.”

Sensible ideas and a respectful critique from former Bush AG Alberto Gonzales. I'd like to see more Republicans speak out like this. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Excited to share the lates @vrcinfo.bsky.social newsletter - take a look!

You may say this is political, but the fact of the matter is that the Biden administration had a smart, balanced approach to reducing gun violence and the Trump team does not, which will likely result in more lives lost to gun violence. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/07/u...

Birthright citizenship is noxious to MAGA. They scorn it as relying on magic dirt — the idea that there is something inherent in American soil that makes a person an American citizen. Yet the same populists seem to believe in something like magic blood — that one’s lineage can make one superior.

The Trump war on science, which is really a battle against truth, continues. This will be devastating across so many sectors, including criminology and criminal justice. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

www.thetrace.org/2026/07/balt... Excellent article describing how Baltimore dramatically reduced homicides since 2022. Kudos to UPenn’s Ben Struhl & Jeremy Biddle, MONSE’s Stefanie Mavronis, Police Commissioner Worley, Safe Streets, Roca, YAP. Focus on the highest risk w/ supports & accountability.🙌

Throughout Durham’s Summit on Saving Lives, participants did the work and came together to align on evidence-informed strategies to reduce gun violence. We want to thank the @cityofdurhamnc.bsky.social and @durhamcounty.bsky.social for including the VRC in these important conversations.

The @cityofdurhamnc.bsky.social Summit on Saving Lives will convene community members, practitioners, and policymakers to explore strategies for preventing violence. The VRC looks forward to collaborating with partners to build safer communities. Read more here: www.newsbreak.com/raleigh-news...

At the Baltimore Together Summit, @thomasabt.bsky.social celebrated Baltimore’s historic drop in violence. He also emphasized that sustaining this progress will require continued focus, strong partnerships, and a commitment to saving lives. More on the event: www.umms.org/ummc/news/20...

VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social delivered the keynote address at the Baltimore Together Summit on Violence Prevention, emphasizing the importance of sustained commitment to building a safer Baltimore for all, while also celebrating the city’s progress in violence prevention.

Congrats Joanee!

Save Lives Now! is a St. Louis regional violence reduction initiative working toward one shared goal: saving lives and making communities safer. With continued collaboration and investment, that impact can grow. Learn more: www.ewgateway.org/save-lives-n...

Still far too much murder in the U.S., but this is remarkable progress. H/t @jeffasher.bsky.social

Sustaining violence reduction efforts like Save Lives Now! means investing in public safety, supporting communities, and preventing future harm across the St. Louis region. Saving lives should remain a shared goal. Read the latest coverage here: www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Here's a nice piece from @tonymess.bsky.social on SaveLivesNow!, an initiative in the St. Louis region supported by @vrcinfo.bsky.social. There and around the country, evidence-informed efforts save lives, but can success be sustained without continued investment? www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Last week in St. Louis, leaders came together for the Save Lives Now! Collab Lab. Facilitated by the VRC, we heard perspectives from Mayor Cara Spencer, St. Louis County Director of Violence Reduction Thomas Crees, Mission: St. Louis' Jason Watson, and VRC Director @thomasabt.bsky.social

Nice primer on how to "do your own research." I am not a methodologist, so I read many studies this way. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Great to be back in St. Louis and excited for the work ahead!

Check out this valuable resource from the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform Identifying High-Risk Populations for a Public Health Approach to Community Violence Intervention. Access the report here: nicjr.org/files/galler... Join the upcoming webinar: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Here's a good story on correcting progressive overreach on drugs in San Francisco. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/o...

All eyes are on the midterms as Trump uses the gov's full force to supercharge election lies in case he doesn't like the results. NEW: We just published a roadmap for journalists, advocates, and voters outlining what we can do about it. Join us, start here: 🔗 https://protdem.org/executive-override

"At least 12 of the pardoned rioters have since been charged with other serious crimes, including child molestation, assault, harassment, murder plots and charges related to a vicious dog attack." www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/o...