Dr. David Weisburd - Police Need Cookbooks, Not Just Theory - George Mason University

The CopDoc Podcast - Season 9 - Episode 160

What if police departments made decisions based on solid evidence rather than gut feelings? Dr. David Weisburd, a dual faculty member at George Mason University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has spent decades proving that scientific approaches can revolutionize policing.

From his unexpected start evaluating one of America's first community policing programs in 1984, Weisburd discovered something remarkable: crime isn't random. His groundbreaking "law of crime concentration" demonstrates that approximately 5% of streets produce about 50% of crime in cities worldwide. This discovery challenged conventional wisdom and launched the hotspot policing movement that continues to transform law enforcement today.

Contrary to what many might assume, Weisburd's research in high-crime neighborhoods reveals that residents overwhelmingly want more police presence, not less. When surveyed, only 6-7% of people living in these areas wanted fewer officers. What they actually desire isn't the absence of police but officers who treat them with respect and dignity—a finding that led Weisburd to conduct successful experiments combining focused policing with procedural justice training.

Despite these advances, Weisburd argues that policing research remains drastically underfunded compared to fields like medicine. While the NIH receives around $45 billion annually, criminal justice research gets merely $200 million. This disparity explains why we lack what Weisburd calls a "cookbook" for police—practical, evidence-based guidance for officers working in different contexts and communities.

Throughout our conversation, Weisburd shares stories from his international work, the challenges of conducting research during times of conflict in Israel, and his vision for a National Institute of Policing that would elevate law enforcement science to the level it deserves. Whether you're a police professional, researcher, or concerned citizen, this episode offers rare insight into how evidence-based approaches can build safer, more just communities.

Listen now to understand why police science deserves billions, not millions, and how research can help departments navigate today's complex challenges with greater effectiveness and legitimacy.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Episode Introduction
• 1:44 David's Journey into Policing Research
• 6:16 The Rise of Evidence-Based Policing
• 15:05 Crime Concentration and Hotspot Policing
• 28:10 Race, Policing, and Procedural Justice
• 39:33 Technology in Policing and Its Challenges
• 47:52 Creating a National Institute for Policing
• 55:04 Episode Closing and Final Thoughts