New study reveals local summer jobs program reduces youth violence

New study reveals local summer jobs program reduces youth violence

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It’s no secret that the rate of violent crimes soars in Chicago during the summer. But a new study from the University of Chicago Crime Lab and the University of Pennsylvania may have found a way to reduce those numbers - by providing young people jobs. The study looked at how an eight week part-time summer employment program was able to reduce violent crime arrests by more than 40 percent over a 16-month period. Joining us on the line is the study’s author, Dr. Sara Heller, who is the assistant professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania.