Reducing Crime

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#68 (Jim Rose) Feb 28, 2024

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Did you see the movie BlacKkKlansman? If so you will love this episode. Host Jerry Ratcliffe chats with his mate Jim Rose, a former narcotics officer and senior advisor to the US State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Rose was also the real-life white cop in BlacKkKlansman. He discusses his experience infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as a young undercover officer and his subsequent work in Central America. He also talks about the challenges and successes of implementing intelligence-led policing and community-oriented strategies in countries like El Salvador. Rose emphasizes the importance of proactive leadership and institutionalizing best practices to create safer and more secure communities.

#67 (Beatriz Magaloni) Jan 29, 2024

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In this episode of the Reducing Crime podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Beatriz Magaloni, a professor of international relations and political science at Stanford University. Magaloni discusses her work on community policing with a specific ‘pacifying police unit’ in Brazil's most dangerous favelas, focusing on the different types of control exerted by criminal organizations in these areas. She explains the challenges faced by police in these environments and the importance of understanding the relationships between criminal groups, the community, and collusion with the state … and the police.

#66 (David Weisburd) Dec 27, 2023

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In this episode of Reducing Crime, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews criminologist David Weisburd. They discuss Weisburd's career, his work on hotspots policing and procedural justice, and his advice for young scholars. Weisburd emphasizes the importance of focusing on long-term research questions rather than being swayed by current trends or immediate concerns. He also discusses the misconceptions surrounding hotspots policing, including the assumption that it is solely about heavy-handed policing and the belief that displacement is inevitable. Weisburd highlights the need for more funding and support for policing research, particularly in areas such as training and strategies. He also suggests that community engagement and collaboration are crucial in addressing crime and reducing the burden on the police.

#65 (Martin Bouchard) Nov 28, 2023

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In this episode of the Reducing Crime podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Martin Bouchard, a professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University, about social network analysis and its application to understanding gangs and organized crime groups. Bouchard explains the concepts of social network analysis, including dyads and brokers, and discusses how police can use this understanding to strategically target and disrupt criminal activity. He also highlights the similarities between gang networks and police corruption networks. Bouchard emphasizes the importance of combining social network analysis with contextual knowledge and intelligence to gain a comprehensive understanding of criminal networks. The episode concludes with a discussion on the role of social and human capital in criminal organizations and the potential for disruption and informant recruitment.

#64 (Dave Cowan) Oct 30, 2023

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In this episode of the Reducing Crime Podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Detective Superintendent Dave Cowan of Australia's Victoria Police. They discuss Cowan's journey into evidence-based policing (EBP) and the experiments he has conducted, including a focused deterrence trial and a trial using behavioral science to reduce failure to appear at court. They also discuss the importance of rigorous testing and evaluation in policing strategies, the need for better communication and application of research in policing, and the challenges and progress in implementing EBP within police organizations. Cowan emphasizes the importance of leadership, curiosity, and innovation in driving change and improving policing practices.

#63 (Seth Williams) Sep 27, 2023

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In this episode of Reducing Crime, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Seth Williams, the former Philadelphia District Attorney who was convicted and incarcerated on charges related to the receipt of undisclosed gifts. Williams discusses his time in prison and the role of the District Attorney. He talks about his background and experiences as a prosecutor, as well as his efforts to implement community-based prosecution and reduce gun violence in Philadelphia. Williams also shares his views on holding people accountable for illegal firearms possession and addressing the drug crisis through a combination of harm reduction and social services. He emphasizes the importance of treating trauma and providing interventions at an early age to prevent crime and reduce recidivism. Williams also discusses his current work in helping individuals with reentry and officiating weddings.

#62 (Ron Clarke) Aug 30, 2023

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In this episode of "Reducing Crime," host Jerry Ratcliffe sits down with criminology legend Ron Clarke to discuss his career and contributions to the field. Clarke is known for his development of situational crime prevention and the rational choice perspective on crime. He emphasizes the importance of practical application in criminology and the need for targeted interventions based on careful analysis of micro-environments associated with crime. Clarke also discusses his frustration with mainstream criminology's lack of focus on practical solutions and the challenges of getting his ideas recognized in academia. Despite this, he was awarded the prestigious Stockholm Prize in Criminology in 2015. Clarke also touches on his collaborations with Derek Cornish and his current work on successful case studies of situational prevention of suicide. Overall, Clarke's work has had a significant impact on crime prevention and has highlighted the importance of considering environmental factors in understanding and preventing crime .

#61 (Terry Cherry) Jul 28, 2023

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In this episode of the ReducingCrime Podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Terry Cherry, a recruiting officer with the Charleston South Carolina Police Department. Cherry discusses her evidence-based approach to police recruitment and retention, as well as her work with academic colleagues. She emphasizes the importance of treating recruitment like a business, understanding the competition, and systematizing the recruitment process. Cherry also highlights the need for police departments to provide good customer service, care about the well-being of applicants, and create an inspirational aspect to recruitment. She shares her experience in creating evidence-based recruitment videos and the importance of focusing on social impact in attracting potential candidates. Cherry also discusses the changing expectations of recruits, the need for police departments to adapt to societal changes, and the potential consequences of failing to do so.

#60 (Andrew Lemieux) Jun 29, 2023

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Andrew Lemieux manages the Problem-Oriented Wildlife Protection program for LEAD Ranger – an organization that supports wildlife park rangers around the world. Dr. Lemieux is also the editor-in-chief of the Wilderness Problems Resource Portal, an open-source collection of guides and manuals specifically written for field teams and hosted by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. We talk about poaching, wildlife crime, habitat management and problem-solving in these unique and diverse wilderness places.

#59 (Mark Evans) May 30, 2023

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Mark Evans, OBE is the Executive Lead for Future Policing with the New Zealand Police (NZP), and Vice President of the Australia and New Zealand Society of Evidence Based Policing. He is the chair of the independent advisory board at the Royal New Zealand Police College and has an operational portfolio focused on fair and equitable policing outcomes, evidence-based policing, and the future use of new technologies. In a previous career, he reinvigorated crime and intelligence analysis in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. We discuss what he has learned about change and innovation in policing in large agencies.

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