Fighting Crime dives into the world of crime to uncover the evidence of what actually works to improve public safety. Join journalist Cristina Quinn as she travels across the country - from prisons to universities, police chiefs to inmates - questioning everything we think we know about how to
Mental illness does not mean that someone will resort to criminal behaviour, but unfortunately it is over represented in prisons and jails. Some criminal activity can in part due to difficult life circumstances for people with mental illness and a lack of treatment, and these individuals can be vulnerable to returning back inside after release if they don’t have the care that they need. At the same, jails and prisons aren’t the best places for someone suffering from mental illness: the staff aren’t trained to provide this care and incarceration can exacerbate some conditions, which means…
America’s prison population is greying fast; it’s estimated that by 2030 up to a third will be geriatric prisoners. And with age often comes health issues and the need for specialist medical care. But prisons aren’t built to provide this nor are prison staff experts in giving this care. Which means that it can cost several times more to treat these individuals in prison than if they were released into specialist nursing facilities. Before people worry about the threat to public safety of releasing elderly prisoners so they can get better and cheaper care in nursing homes, consider that…
Could the same drug curbing your appetite also curb crime? GLP-1s like Ozempic aren't just reshaping waistlines. Research suggests they could blunt cravings for alcohol, drugs, and even impulsive violence. We visit a halfway house running a pilot treatment program and meet the researchers hoping GLP-1s could transform how America fights addiction and crime... Sources: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist use and violent crime among US adults; Daniel Semenza, George Thomas (2026) GLP-1 Addiction Treatment Pilot Program; Open Doors and the Center for Addiction Science, Policy and Research…
Around a fifth of American women report being raped in their lifetimes, and figures for sexual assault are even higher. One survey shows that a staggering 13.1% of college aged men say they’ve committed rape. What drives men to sexually assault women and how can we target men to prevent these crimes? At the same time, convictions for these crimes are extremely low. One reason for this is the reporting process can be traumatic, and so around 80% of women never report their assault or rape. However with little reporting crime experts also have less data to understand who to target to reduce…
Police officers across the country are reporting high levels of burn out, with many quitting the force after only a year or two. But when stress and fatigue are part of the nature of the job, what can those on the frontline of public safety do about it? We hear how the power of human connection, sleep training and artificial intelligence are being used to try and make their shifts more manageable. Sources: Elizabeth Linos , Krista Ruffini, Stephanie Wilcoxen. Reducing Burnout and Resignations among Frontline Workers: A Field Experiment,, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory,…
Air quality has always been thought of as a public health problem, but is it an issue for public safety. In this episode, we examine how pollution can impact levels of violent crime. Plus, how poor air quality in prisons creates a hostile environment for inmates and corrections officers. Guests: Dr Anne Chappelle Toxicologist, Trinity Consultants Erich Muehlegger Professor of Economics at University of California, Davis Jeremy Tripp Policy Director, One Voice United Angela Hawken Vice Dean for Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Government and Policy Sources: Air Pollution and…
We all need the right training to do our jobs properly. So what do cops need so they can make better decisions in high-stakes and time-sensitive situations? In this episode we speak to economists about simple and effective training methods which help cops arrest the right people and keep us safer, which also cost next to nothing. We’d love to hear from anyone in policing about interesting things you are trying: Contact us at: [email protected] Guests: Paul Noel, Chief of Police, Knoxville Police Department Dr Emily Owens, University of California, Irvine Dr Oeindrila Dube,…
The use of DNA evidence has revolutionized crime investigations over the past 30 years, helping to catch criminals and keep us all safer. But are we fully using DNA’s potential to catch criminals? In this episode, a victim of sexual assault tells their powerful story of how DNA analysis led to justice, and how exactly DNA can be used to prevent crimes before they even happen. Guests: Ashley Spence, Survivor, and Founder, DNA Justice Project Tiffany Roy, Professor of Forensic DNA Analysis David Rausch, Director, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Max Isaacs, Director of Technology Law &…
American prisons are not designed to be welcoming places. But what if the American prison experience was reimagined, to the benefit of corrections officers and inmates? In this episode, we head to an experimental prison housing unit in Pennsylvania, which is trying to do just that, by incorporating the ethos of a Scandinavian prison. Guests: Allison Murphy, Assistant to the SCI Chester Superintendent Paige Devane, Corrections Officer, Little Scandinavia Gina Clark, SCI Chester Superintendent Professor Jordan Hyatt, Director of the Center for Public Policy, Drexel University Bret Bucklen,…
Getting a good job after prison is one of the best ways to beat recidivism. But what does the evidence actually say about getting formerly incarcerated people back into work? In this episode, we discover some ideas that are helping and hindering people in getting jobs. The solutions are cheaper and simpler than you might expect. Guests: Coss Marte, founder of ConBody and ConBud Dr Amanda Agan, Cornell University Dr Zoe Cullen, Harvard Business School Sources: Amanda Agan, Sonja Starr, Ban the Box, Criminal Records, and Racial Discrimination: A Field Experiment; The Quarterly Journal of…
There are a bunch of ways to improve public safety that no one is talking about. Launching May 28th, Fighting Crime will dive into the world of crime, policy, and economics, to uncover the evidence of what actually works to improve public safety. It’s not true crime - it’s the truth about crime.
About Fighting Crime
Fighting Crime dives into the world of crime to uncover the evidence of what actually works to improve public safety. Join journalist Cristina Quinn as she travels across the country - from prisons to universities, police chiefs to inmates - questioning everything we think we know about how to
Fighting Crime is a English society & culture podcast from Arnold Ventures. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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