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Steve speaks to Aaron Chalfin and Max Kapustin about “focused deterrence,” a strategy that concentrates policing and social services on persons at high risk of gang-related gun violence. After Baltimore implemented this strategy in early 2022, its homicide rate fell 60% over three years. Aaron and Max explain the strategy, and Steve asks them what we know about how and why it works. They also discuss prospects for bringing “focused deterrence” to other American cities.
Recorded on June 22, 2026.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Aaron J. Chalfin is an associate professor and graduate chair of criminology at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the costs and benefits of policing, place-based crime prevention, and the determinants of crime victimization. He is a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and an affiliated researcher at the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
Max Kapustin is an assistant professor in the Department of Economics at the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University. He studies interventions to improve the life outcomes of disadvantaged youth and adults, particularly ways to reduce their exposure to gun violence. He’s an affiliate at the University of Chicago Crime Lab, where he previously served as senior research director.
RELATED SOURCE
- Kapustin, Max, Aaron Chalfin, Jeremy Biddle, Brian A. Wade, Natasha Khade, Cristina Layana, Ben Struhl, and Anthony A. Braga. Reducing Gun Violence at Scale. NBER Working Paper No. 35292. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, June 2026.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Each episode of Economics, Applied, a video podcast series, features senior fellow Steven Davis in conversation with leaders and researchers about economic developments and their ramifications. The goal is to bring evidence and economic reasoning to the table, drawing lessons for individuals, organizations, and society. The podcast also aims to showcase the value of individual initiative, markets, the rule of law, and sound policy in fostering prosperity and security.
For more information, visit hoover.org/podcasts/economics-applied.
