Do gun buyback programs achieve their intended goals? This study examines the impact of buyback initiatives on firearm-related crime and deaths, contributing new evidence to an ongoing policy debate. Read more: https://ow.ly/TBc450ZvM1T

Recently published in JPAM: "Jumping the Gun: The Effects of Permitless Concealed Carry Laws on Crime" by Susan Parker. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Jumping the Gun: The Effects of Permitless Concealed Carry Laws on Crime

In the last decade, one of the most substantial changes to firearm policy is the widespread adoption of permitless concealed carry laws. Since 2015, more than 20 states have adopted a permitless carr...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Can better oversight lead to better outcomes? This study examines how third-party auditing influences the accuracy of reported data and what stronger accountability means for effective public policy. Read more: https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.70121

Immigration continues to shape policy conversations across the country. This study takes a closer look at the short-term fiscal effects of immigration, offering new evidence to inform one of today's most debated policy issues. Read more: https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.70007

Can technology help make child welfare decisions more equitable? This research explores how predictive algorithms and human decision-makers interact in child protection screening and what it means for addressing racial disparities in the system. Read more: https://ow.ly/lYce50ZmVCJ

Small changes can make a big difference. This study found that simple text-message reminders & flexible interview scheduling increased SNAP interview completion rates, boosted benefit approvals, & helped applicants navigate the process more quickly. Read more: https://ow.ly/sQxb50Z5Ta9

As colleges increasingly use predictive analytics to identify students who may need support who gets left behind? The findings highlight the challenges of using data-driven tools equitably & point to ways institutions can improve outcomes for all students. Read more: https://ow.ly/SzpP50Z5T9u

Can providing free school meals improve student success? This study finds that universal free meals boosted lunch participation & improved math & reading performance across all income levels in NYC middle schools, & no evidence that the program increased obesity. Read more: https://ow.ly/RVqa50Z5T8z

What happens when marriage equality becomes law? This study examines the nationwide rollout of legal same-sex marriage & finds that access to marriage significantly increased marriage rates among same-sex couples. Read more: https://ow.ly/Syib50Z5T7K

Do SROs make schools safer or contribute to the School-to-Prison Pipeline? This research finds that adding SROs increases the number of crimes identified & arrests made, while also improving school safety & helps police address drug crimes both on & off campus. Read more: https://ow.ly/wqxo50Z5T6N

Are school cops making schools safer or just more punitive? New research has the answer, & it's complicated. SROs do reduce some forms of violence, they have zero effect on gun incidents. Suspensions, expulsions, & student arrests all spike. Read more: https://ow.ly/i6xZ50Z5T5S

Do children of teen mothers face worse outcomes because of their mother’s age? Using national longitudinal data & a novel approach that accounts for selection into teen motherhood, this study finds teen childbearing itself may not be the causal driver. Read more: https://ow.ly/pslK50YV8HA

What are the real economic impacts of earthquakes? This study reviews global research & analyzes data from 80 major earthquakes across 30+ countries. A data-driven look at how economies recover & where risks remain. Read more: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pam.22642particularly due to

Recently published in JPAM: "Insurance Coverage and Provision of Opioid Disorder Treatment: Evidence From Medicare" by Denis Agniel, Jonathan Cantor, Johanna Catherine Maclean, Erin Taylor, & Kosali Simon. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

Insurance Coverage and Provision of Opioid Disorder Treatment: Evidence From Medicare

Older adult opioid overdose deaths have increased over the past two decades in the United States. Methadone, one of three medications approved for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, was not covered....

doi.org

Government capacity is often treated as a given, but it plays a critical role in whether policies actually work. This essay highlights growing threats to state capacity, including increased procedural hurdles & rising politicization of public service. Read more: https://ow.ly/glng50YUCCI

How has marriage equality shaped lives and policy? This research reviews the impacts of Obergefell v. Hodges & related policies, exploring effects on societal attitudes, family formation, employment, health, & more. Read here: https://ow.ly/lEgz50YUCrI

Recently published at JPAM: "Incentive-Based Compensation in Police Forces" by Sandro Cabral, Marcelo Marchesini da Costa, Sergio Firpo, Joana Monteiro, & Leonardo Viotti. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Incentive‐Based Compensation in Police Forces

Governments worldwide are increasingly applying management principles to policing, including performance management systems and financial incentives. We study whether eligibility for performance-base...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

New Episode (#41) of JPAM’s A Closer Look podcast! 🎙️ Host Seth Gershenson speaks with Michael LaForest-Tucker about his recent JPAM article on crime deterrence in New York and what the evidence says about how policy can reduce criminal activity. Listen here: tinyurl.com/yf3tmy7x (1/3)

Recently published in JPAM: APPAM Presidential Address by Ingrid Gould Ellen, “Going Local: The Value of Research on Local Government Policies and Programs.” A compelling case for why local policy research matters more than ever. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Recently published at JPAM: "Can Crime Be Deterred at Low Cost? Evidence From a Randomized Experiment in New York" by Oludamilare Aboaba, Aaron Chalfin, Michael LaForest-Tucker, Lucie Parker, & Patrick Sharkey. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

New Episode (#40) of JPAM’s A Closer Look podcast!🎙️ Host Seth Gershenson speaks with his co-author David Blazar about their recent JPAM paper on Maryland’s “grow-your-own” program—and how exposure in high school increases the likelihood of becoming a teacher later. tinyurl.com/t4d7tjdr (1/3)

Recently published at JPAM: "How Effective Are Building Codes at Reducing Residential Water Use? Evidence From California Billing Data" by Mehdi Nemati. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

How Effective Are Building Codes at Reducing Residential Water Use? Evidence From California Billing Data

This study examines the impact of residential water-efficiency standards on household water consumption, utilizing billing data from California. I examine both the short- and long-term impacts of the...

doi.org

Recently published at JPAM: "Localized Teacher Recruitment Through “Grow-Your-Own”: Impacts of the High School Teacher Academy of Maryland Program" by David Blazar, Wenjing Gao, Seth Gershenson, Ramon Goings, & Francisco Lagos. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

Localized Teacher Recruitment Through “Grow‐Your‐Own”: Impacts of the High School Teacher Academy of Maryland Program

Recruiting teachers via “grow-your-own” (GYO) programs is a popular, yet rarely evaluated, strategy for addressing local workforce shortages and ensuring that incoming teachers resemble, understand, ...

doi.org

Recently published at JPAM: "Increasing Take‐Up of Social Benefits: A Meta‐Analysis of Field Experiments" by Karl-Emil Bendtsen at Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

Increasing Take‐Up of Social Benefits: A Meta‐Analysis of Field Experiments

Can reducing administrative burdens increase the take-up of social benefits? This meta-analysis reviews 51 field experimental studies reporting 187 treatment effect sizes. Using the administrative bu...

doi.org

New Episode (#39) of JPAM’s A Closer Look podcast! 🎙️ Host Seth Gershenson (@au-spa.bsky.social) speaks with Caroline Weber about her recent JPAM article on the unintended consequences of cannabis tax reform for prices and welfare. tinyurl.com/y426ymjh (1/3)

Recently published at JPAM: "Can Machine Learning Target Health Care Fraud? Evidence From Medicare Hospitalizations" by Shubhranshu Shekhar, Jetson Leder-Luis, & Leman Akoglu. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

Can Machine Learning Target Health Care Fraud? Evidence From Medicare Hospitalizations

The United States spends more than $4 trillion per year on health care, largely conducted by private providers and reimbursed by insurers. A major concern in this system is overbilling and fraud by h...

doi.org

New Episode (#38) of JPAM’s Closer Look Podcast! Host Seth Gershenson (@AU_SPA) speaks with Pierre Koning and Carlos Riumalló-Herl, recipients of the 2025 Vernon Memorial Award, about their article “Selective exercise of discretion in disability insurance awards.” 🎧 tinyurl.com/yjnjacxu (1/3)

Recently published at JPAM: "Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility Policy and SNAP Participation" by Xingguo Wang, Pourya Valizadeh, Rodolfo Nayga Jr., Henry Bryant, & Bart Fischer. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

Broad‐Based Categorical Eligibility Policy and SNAP Participation

The broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) policy allows states to bypass federal gross income and asset tests for supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) eligibility. Policymakers often...

doi.org

Come chat with the JPAM editor at the @appam.bsky.social booth today at 9:30am or 3:30pm!

Recently published at JPAM: "Loopholes and the Incidence of Public Services: Evidence From Funding Career and Technical Education" by Thomas Goldring, Brian Jacob, Daniel Kreisman, & Michael David Ricks. doi.org/10.1002/pam....

Loopholes and the Incidence of Public Services: Evidence From Funding Career and Technical Education

In 2015, Michigan increased its Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding and changed its funding formula to reimburse programs based on student progression through program curricula. Although thi...

doi.org