Understanding Violent Crime

Academic Publications

Dismantling the Carceral State in Educational Practices: Centering Collaboration and Voice of the Formerly Incarcerated to Enact Transformation

Academic Publication Dismantling the Carceral State in Educational Practices: Centering Collaboration and Voice of the Formerly Incarcerated to Enact Transformation Urban Education · 2026…

Aggravated Assault Arrests in Houston: Racial, Age, and Geographic Patterns

The Big Picture Aggravated assault arrests among young Houstonians are going up. This study examined more than 30,000 arrests across the city to understand…

The Complex Relationship Between Community, Economic, Social Factors, Violent Crime, and Suicide

The Big Picture While poverty and economic hardship are often assumed to increase suicide risk, the actual relationships between community factors, race, mental health,…

Partnering with Black funeral home directors to reduce mortality and gun violence

The Big Picture Gun violence and premature deaths in Black communities represent both a public health crisis and a social justice issue. Traditional approaches…

Economic correlates of crime: An empirical test in Houston

The Big Picture Economic conditions are known to play a role in criminal activity, but understanding exactly how factors like poverty, unemployment, and income…

Understanding the Perception of Place and Its Impact on Community Violence

The Big Picture Violence in our cities is a complex issue, but understanding how people view their neighborhoods might be key to solving it….

Police shootings, violent crime, race and socio‐economic factors

The Big Picture Police shootings and violent crime remain high in the U.S., sparking ongoing debates about the influence of race, mental health, and…

Beyond Race: Unemployment, Income, and Stress as Predictors of Crime

The Big Picture This study explores the relationships between environmental and social factors and violent crime rates in counties across Texas, California, Arizona, and…

A trauma-informed approach to understanding firearm decision-making among Black adolescents: Implications for prevention

The Big Picture Firearm violence is a significant public health crisis, particularly in marginalized, urban communities where Black adolescents are disproportionately affected. This study…

An Exploratory Study of Environmental Stress in Four High Violent Crime Cities: What Sets Them Apart?

The Big Picture This study explores the social contexts of violent crime in four U.S. cities with high crime rates: Houston, TX; Baltimore, MD;…

Projects

Understanding the Impact of Pretrial Decisions on Jail Populations and Crime in Texas and Beyond

In Collaboration with: Understanding the Relationship between Pretrial Decisions, Jail Populations, and Crime Get Involved Join The Study Request More Info Funded By Project…

Examining Local Criminal Justice Systems: A Multifaceted Approach

Reports

Save Black Lives

Back to Reports Problem The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately harming Black communities, where higher rates of infections, hospitalizations and deaths are occurring. Simultaneously, Black…

This report focuses on the significant contributions of Black public defenders and researchers in promoting equitable policy solutions to address the COVID-19 pandemic within the criminal legal system.

An Analysis of Incarceration, Crime, Unemployment and Rural Spaces

Back to Reports Problem Incarceration rates in America remain high compared to other countries. Most attention has focused on urban communities, but rural areas…

This analysis examines the relationship between prison sentences for non-violent crimes and unemployment rates at both the Congressional District and State level.