Nancy La Vigne

Examines whether public surveillance camera systems help reduce crime and improve public safety in urban areas. Finds mixed results: cameras are more effective in some locations and for certain types of crime, especially when combined with active monitoring and police response, but they are less successful as a stand-alone crime prevention strategy.

Examines the role families play when people return to the community after incarceration and compares prisoners’ expectations of family support with what actually happens after release. Finds that many formerly incarcerated people rely heavily on family for housing, emotional support, and practical help, but that support is often strained by financial hardship, relationship conflict, and the challenges of reentry.

Studies how incarceration affects prisoners’ relationships with their families and whether maintaining contact during incarceration helps preserve those relationships after release. Finds that regular family contact during incarceration—especially contact with children—is linked to stronger family support and healthier relationships after release, although contact can sometimes worsen already-strained intimate relationships.

Examines the challenges people face after being released from prison in Chicago, including finding housing and employment, reconnecting with family, and avoiding re-incarceration. Finds that family support is one of the strongest factors helping formerly incarcerated people succeed after release, while poverty, limited job opportunities, and disadvantaged neighborhoods make reentry much more difficult.

Explores how crime data and mapping technologies can be used to predict where crimes are most likely to occur and help law enforcement plan prevention strategies. Argues that predictive crime mapping has the potential to improve crime prevention efforts, but its effectiveness depends on the quality of the data, careful analysis, and responsible use by police agencies.