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Policy Research
Wearing body cameras increases assaults against officers and does not reduce police use of force: Results from a global multi-site experiment
Renee O’Connell
July 2016
Governments around the globe continue to struggle to balance the need to maintain order, trust in the police force, hold officers accountable, and minimize police brutality. Some nations have attempted to address this struggle by equipping police with body-worn videos. In theory, these BWV’s provide police with an immediate and greater sense of accountability, which in turn reduces the use of unnecessary force. Using trials taken from several different nations, this study finds that the use of BWV’s does not minimize the use of force by police and also increases the incidence of assault made against officers.
Constitutional Qualms or Politics as Usual. The Factors Shaping Public Support for Unilateral Action
Renee O’Connell
July 2016
This study addresses the role public opinion plays on unilateral action, or the ability of the president to act independently of the courts or Congress. Congress and the courts place few formal regulations on the President, and the American public may be the strongest factor keeping the President from making policy. The authors used a series of survey experiments to evaluate public opinion on unilateral action based on constitutional, partisan, and policy concerns. The results suggest that Americans evaluate unilateral action based on partisan and policy preferences with few concerning themselves with the threat to our system of checks and balances.
Healthy Waters Strong Economy, The benefits of Restoring the Great Lakes Systems
John Austin, Soren Anderson, Paul Courant, Robert Litan
September 2007
The Great Lakes accounts for 90% of the United States and 20% of the worlds surface fresh water. It has a direct impact on 35 million people and provides both drinking water and commercial transportation. However, the Great Lakes has been facing numerous threats. This article outlines restoration strategies, cost of cleaning and preserving the lakes, the economic benefits of keeping our lakes healthy, along with policy implications. ! Throughout the years the Midwest has gone from agricultural and industrial to a global knowledge economy in which the lakes are a valuable resource. In 2004, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, which was a 26 billion dollar federal state plan for cleaning and preserving the Great Lakes, was created. Some of the major elements were enhancing coastal health, such as improving wastewater facilities and accurate testing to determine when beach water is safe. Treating areas of concerns by 2020, reducing non-point contamination sources, particularly damaged wetlands and tributaries and restoring both urban and rural areas. Reducing the level of toxic pollutants, ensure sustainability of streams and rivers. Prevent invasive species and halt existing ones and develop a system of indicators and information, which means creating a series of measures at collecting, analyzing, and increasing the involvement of universities. ! Economic benefits of restoring the Great Lakes will lead to 11.8 billion dollars from tourism, fishing and recreation alone. It will raise coastal property values to 19 billion dollars once areas of concerns are restored. The reduction of sedimentation will lower water treatment cost for municipalities by 125 million dollars and will attract more businesses and workers since a study showed that people are willing to pay more to live in areas with high environmental quality. So overall, the total costs in restoring our lakes is around 26 billion dollars with a direct economic benefit of 50 billion dollars. So far, some elements have moved around through Congress and measures like sewage treatment upgrades, keeping Asian and silver carp out of lake Michigan and the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act has been passed.
The consequences of Brexit for UK trade and living standards
Swati Dhingra, Gianmarco Ottaviano, Thomas Sampson, John Van Reenen
March 2016
The article attempts to estimate the potential economic impact of the United Kingdom withdrawing from the European Union. Using a static model that exclusively looks at potential effects to tariffs and trade, the article estimates that a UK exit would lead to a loss in real income of 1% - 2.1%, which equates to 850-1700 GBP per household. Additionally the article then used a dynamic model that factors in potential efficiency loss due to less bargaining power and decreased competition. In this model, a UK exit is predicted to lead to a decrease in real income by 6.3%-9.5%. Overall, the study found that the potential for a UK exit to lead to positive economic results is very slim. The study also estimated the effect of a UK leave on other countries and found that a select few countries benefit and the effect on the U.S. is close to 0.
Special relationships in flux: Brexit and the future of the US EU and US UK relationships
Tim Oliver, Michael John Williams
March 2016
The article analysis economic and political relationships between the United States and both the UK and European Union as a whole in an attempt to estimate potential effects of a UK exit from the EU. The article suggests that a UK exit is not likely to have any positive effects, but will have the largest toll on the UK itself. Further, a UK exit will possibly see the United States relationship with certain countries in the EU such as France and Germany strengthen, however the potential for political and security uncertainty could also lead to decreasing military support in Europe from the U.S. with a possible weakening of NATO. The article also estimates that with a leave, the UK will likely face a significant decrease in world power and influence. They also analyzed the possibility for a withdrawn UK to enter NAFTA, but determined such a result was very unlikely. The article also touches on potential changes to EU politics, noting that the UK was a major player in support of increased free-market trade liberalization and with its absence there could be a shift towards the economic left as France would have more influence. This in turn could hinder U.S. trade relation with the EU.
Six Randomized Evaluations of Microcredit: Introduction and Further Steps
Abhijit Banerjee, Dean Karlan, Jonathan Zinman
June 2015
This study analyses six randomized trials that assess the impacts of granting microcredit to borrowers in six poorer countries. Essentially, the results find some support that microcredit loans increase business activity, freedom of occupational and consumption choice, and female decision making. The studies do not find evidence of a reduction in poverty, or significant increases in standards of living.
A Multifaceted Program Causes Lasting Progress for the Very Poor: Evidence from Six Countries
Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, Nathanael Goldberg, Dean Karlan, Robert Osei, William Parienté, Jeremy Shapiro, Bram Thuysbaert, Christopher Udry
May 2015
This randomized experiment tests mechanisms for incomes amongst the very poor. The study includes 10,495 participants across six developing countries. Those randomly assigned to the treatment group are provided temporary cash support, training, life skills coaching, and access to banking and health services. At the conclusion of the program, analysis showed significant benefits in ten different areas, including assets, oncome, health, political involvement, food security, and so on. After three years eight of the ten measures continued to show significant improvement.
Would People Behave Differently If They Better Understood Social Security? Evidence from a Field Experiment
Jeffrey B. Liebman, Erzo F.P. Luttmer
August 2011
This randomized experiment tests the effect of increased information to social security amongst older workers. One group was given essential information regarding the social security program, while a control group was not sent any information. The simple act of providing pamphlets and web-information increased the probability of working an additional year by 4 percentage-points, an effect driven mainly by women.
Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination
Marianne Bertrand, Sendhil Mullainathan
September 2004
Resumes were randomly assigned with an “African-American sounding” or “white-sounding” name. These resumes were then sent in response to Help Wanted ads taken out in newspapers. Results showed that “white-sounding names” were 50-percent more likely to be called.
Water quality impact assessment of large scale biofuel crops expansion in agricultural regions of Michigan
Renee O’Connell
May 2016
Bioenergy crops are important for climate-change research as well as domestic energy security. The increase demand for biofuels has pressured farmers to use marginally capable croplands, meaning low levels of soil organic matter, poor soil structure and fertility, and lower yields for traditional crops. Agriculture is responsible for the largest contribution of non-point source pollution to freshwater in the United States, and this article outlines different conditions of biofuel production that minimize negative impacts to water supplies. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to predict the effects of four future land use scenarios and 15 bioenergy crop rotations combined to form 42 total cropping scenarios on sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus loads in four watersheds in Michigan during a 19 year period. In general, scenarios with perennial grasses, such as switchgrass, miscanthus, and native grasses, had significantly better water quality than scenarios with intensive annual bioenergy crops.