On April 13, Jens Ludwig, a distinguished service professor and director of the Crime Lab at the University of Chicago, delivered a talk on how gun violence can be prevented through methods such as behavioral training and improving public spaces.
Although widespread legislation restricting gun ownership is a commonly proposed method of combating gun violence, Ludwig argued that this approach is “uncertain” and said that “in light of that uncertainty, I would say let's diversify our risks and push on (another) margin.” Instead, an effective way to prevent gun violence is to prevent the escalation of violent behavior, he said.
“We’ve been framing the problem incorrectly,” Ludwig said at the Monday talk hosted by the Watson School of International and Public Affairs.
His research is based on the psychology of human thinking, he said, which he broke down into intuitive and rational thought. According to Ludwig, humans are generally only aware of 5% of what happens in the brain. The other 95% is intuitive, and this is what he focuses on in his research on gun violence.
Ludwig’s 2025 book, “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence,” discusses methods of intervention to prevent conflicts from escalating to violence.
At the Crime Lab, Ludwig has worked to incorporate “Becoming A Man,” a violence prevention program rooted in behavioral science, into Chicago public schools. The program seeks to de-escalate verbal arguments that could turn into gun violence through education for students to learn how to work through their responses to conflict.
“Schools are our best chance at doing any sort of primary prevention,” Ludwig said.
He also suggested that programs like BAM should be offered at juvenile detention centers. He noted that while officers may not be the best instructors, it is a worthwhile and inexpensive solution because it uses existing employees and otherwise unproductive downtime.
Ludwig also spoke about the benefits of improving public spaces, citing a Penn study that found that replacing empty lots with “pocket parks” could reduce shootings in low-income neighborhoods by nearly 30%. He added that other improvements, such as increasing street lighting and commercial establishments, can also improve public safety.
Caroline Lamarine GS attended the talk for her social policy class, along with several other graduate students. Lamarine said she and many of her classmates “have a lot of interest in gun violence and gun violence advocacy.”
Lamarine said she enjoyed the talk, noting that she appreciated that Ludwig brought up “a lot of emotional and mental health impacts” of gun violence, but she felt there was more to discuss about mental health and violence
Lailah Williams GS, who also attended the talk, thought the event was “a great space to talk about how to approach gun violence from a community investment lens,” they wrote in an email to The Herald.
“I’m greatly (appreciative) of Dr. Ludwig’s behavioral economic approach because it has opened my mind to how investment in disadvantaged areas can change the outcome (of) conflicts that have the potential of ending in violent altercation,” she wrote.
Rebecca Goodman is a university news senior staff writer covering career and alumni. She is a junior from Cambridge, MA, studying English. Outside of writing, you can find her at the Avon or in the basement of the Rock.
