Robert Vargas
@robvargas.bsky.social
Scholar (justiceproject.uchicago.edu)
Artist (www.robvargas.com)
Artist (www.robvargas.com)
Important to note that these declines happened without a snap curfew and without restoring shotspotter. This will be crucial to remember when some elected officials try to seize on the next moral panic to pour more taxpayer money to fund bad crime-fighting ideas.
In a year when Donald Trump called Chicago the “most dangerous city in the world," citywide killings fell to a 60-year low, down ~30% from 2024, as overall crime kept dropping.
It’s the first time in a decade the city has had <500 slayings in a year.
🧵/6 w/ @sophiesherry.bsky.social & Kade Heather
It’s the first time in a decade the city has had <500 slayings in a year.
🧵/6 w/ @sophiesherry.bsky.social & Kade Heather
Chicago records fewest killings since 1965, despite Trump's attacks against the city
Overall crime continued to drop as the number of murders in Chicago decreased from 587 in 2024 to 416 last year, when scores of federal immigration agents flooded the city and President Trump repeated...
chicago.suntimes.com
January 1, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Important to note that these declines happened without a snap curfew and without restoring shotspotter. This will be crucial to remember when some elected officials try to seize on the next moral panic to pour more taxpayer money to fund bad crime-fighting ideas.
Reposted by Robert Vargas
Trump declares war on state AI laws, including a law I passed to ensure transparency of AI safety protocols. He’s doing so purportedly to promote U.S. AI “dominance.”
Of course, he just authorized chip sales to China & Saudi Arabia: the exact opposite of ensuring U.S. dominance.
Of course, he just authorized chip sales to China & Saudi Arabia: the exact opposite of ensuring U.S. dominance.
Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose.
www.whitehouse.gov
December 12, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Trump declares war on state AI laws, including a law I passed to ensure transparency of AI safety protocols. He’s doing so purportedly to promote U.S. AI “dominance.”
Of course, he just authorized chip sales to China & Saudi Arabia: the exact opposite of ensuring U.S. dominance.
Of course, he just authorized chip sales to China & Saudi Arabia: the exact opposite of ensuring U.S. dominance.
Some more great work on the privatized world of police psuedoscience.
🚨Why hasn't this PQ article by Adams @brandondelpozo.bsky.social et al. on the some of flaws in
the Force Science Institute's (FSI) "research", which is highly influential in the courts/litigation mind you, gotten more attention in the last 10 days???🚨
the Force Science Institute's (FSI) "research", which is highly influential in the courts/litigation mind you, gotten more attention in the last 10 days???🚨
December 11, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Some more great work on the privatized world of police psuedoscience.
Reposted by Robert Vargas
Still true enough
9.5 years later, the only part of this that shocks me is that I had to write it under my own name because it was so "controversial" #thanksRahm
9.5 years later, the only part of this that shocks me is that I had to write it under my own name because it was so "controversial" #thanksRahm
December 4, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Still true enough
9.5 years later, the only part of this that shocks me is that I had to write it under my own name because it was so "controversial" #thanksRahm
9.5 years later, the only part of this that shocks me is that I had to write it under my own name because it was so "controversial" #thanksRahm
Reposted by Robert Vargas
This is one story on lisence plate readers. A quick search about other surveillance (especially police access to databases) will reveal this is a major problem for stalking and gendered violence.
With all the new data streams going into lookup tools these days, this problem will only get worse.
With all the new data streams going into lookup tools these days, this problem will only get worse.
Police have access to massive surveillance networks that track the public whether they are suspects or not. That means probably for every 1 officer caught using the system to harass or spy on people they have feuds with, ex's, activists, journalists, there are probably 100 more we don't know about.
Georgia police chief charged with using license plate readers to stalk and harass people
A police chief in suburban Atlanta has been arrested on charges of using the city's license plate cameras to stalk and harass people.
apnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
This is one story on lisence plate readers. A quick search about other surveillance (especially police access to databases) will reveal this is a major problem for stalking and gendered violence.
With all the new data streams going into lookup tools these days, this problem will only get worse.
With all the new data streams going into lookup tools these days, this problem will only get worse.
Turns out much of the great research on ShotSpotter was the result of a CPD FOIA mistake. I wrote about how this signals the need for reforming how Chicago does business with tech, especially with so much AI tools for government on the way.
chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...
chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...
Rewiring city's technology ties following ShotSpotter saga
At a moment when an authoritarian president is seeking every tool possible to target his perceived political enemies, there is no better time for Chicago to rethink how it does business with technolog...
chicago.suntimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Turns out much of the great research on ShotSpotter was the result of a CPD FOIA mistake. I wrote about how this signals the need for reforming how Chicago does business with tech, especially with so much AI tools for government on the way.
chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...
chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...
Reposted by Robert Vargas
"There are few rights that residents have in the face of bondholder demands. Most importantly, perhaps, the officials put in charge of governing the city by the supposedly sovereign people have little recourse or room to maneuver in the face of their power."
"If the city were to get into fiscal trouble and face a decision between paying teachers and paying bondholders, it would have to pay bondholders." -- @schooldaves.bsky.social on the uphill fight municipal socialism faces against the investment environment
Paying for It | David I. Backer
Should Zohran Mamdani become the next mayor of New York City, he will be restricted by the municipal bond market.
thebaffler.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:32 PM
"There are few rights that residents have in the face of bondholder demands. Most importantly, perhaps, the officials put in charge of governing the city by the supposedly sovereign people have little recourse or room to maneuver in the face of their power."
Coverage like this is inaccurate and simply not productive. It's tempting to quote the the crime lab's own written work, which admits that these programs effectiveness dwindled as scale increased, but don't take the bait. The real question is...
chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...
chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...
Johnson pledges to use head tax for youth programs, then wants to cut funding for proven mentoring efforts
Without city funding, group counseling programs now serving 1,400 Chicago Public School students in 33 schools will end on Dec. 31. Those programs have helped students endure the violence- and family-...
chicago.suntimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Coverage like this is inaccurate and simply not productive. It's tempting to quote the the crime lab's own written work, which admits that these programs effectiveness dwindled as scale increased, but don't take the bait. The real question is...
chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...
chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...
Reposted by Robert Vargas
Thinking about when Willie Wilson said police “should be able to chase them [anyone who runs from police] down, and hunt them down like a rabbit,” and Paul Vallas wanted to “take the handcuffs off police.”
Everyone’s getting to see what that looks like in practice now & they don’t seem to like it.
Everyone’s getting to see what that looks like in practice now & they don’t seem to like it.
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Thinking about when Willie Wilson said police “should be able to chase them [anyone who runs from police] down, and hunt them down like a rabbit,” and Paul Vallas wanted to “take the handcuffs off police.”
Everyone’s getting to see what that looks like in practice now & they don’t seem to like it.
Everyone’s getting to see what that looks like in practice now & they don’t seem to like it.
Reposted by Robert Vargas
the lesson of zohran mamdani walloping one of the most racist campaigns in modern us history on the largest turnout since 1969 is that democrats need to move to the right
November 5, 2025 at 2:16 AM
the lesson of zohran mamdani walloping one of the most racist campaigns in modern us history on the largest turnout since 1969 is that democrats need to move to the right
Just published an annual review of a field we're calling "The Political Economy of Policing." It highlights great work on the links between police and society's major political/economic institutions. Thanks to my great coauthors Lauren Hagani and Gabe Rojas.
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
The Political Economy of Policing
This article synthesizes emerging research on the political economy of policing, conceptualized through a Gramscian framework that examines policing as an interinstitutional structure shaped by econom...
www.annualreviews.org
October 14, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Just published an annual review of a field we're calling "The Political Economy of Policing." It highlights great work on the links between police and society's major political/economic institutions. Thanks to my great coauthors Lauren Hagani and Gabe Rojas.
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Robert Vargas
Illinois v. Trump lawsuit seems to confirm the idea that the recent surge of county and state police departments outside of the Broadview ICE facility was decided to preempt the Federalization Order.
I'm not justifying that decision per se, but it appears to be the least poor of two poor options.
I'm not justifying that decision per se, but it appears to be the least poor of two poor options.
October 6, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Illinois v. Trump lawsuit seems to confirm the idea that the recent surge of county and state police departments outside of the Broadview ICE facility was decided to preempt the Federalization Order.
I'm not justifying that decision per se, but it appears to be the least poor of two poor options.
I'm not justifying that decision per se, but it appears to be the least poor of two poor options.
Reposted by Robert Vargas
The president of the United States just declared war, actual military war, not a metaphorical one, on a major American city, and one governed by his political opponents.
In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.
In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.
September 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
The president of the United States just declared war, actual military war, not a metaphorical one, on a major American city, and one governed by his political opponents.
In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.
In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.
Cities so desperately need more help negotiating the terms of their contracts with private entities. What a world we live in where presidents can shutter federal agencies with a flick of a switch but cities can't get out of their contract with surveillance tech firms.
Flock is apparently Not Happy™️ about Evanston trying to terminate its ALPR contract early, and sent a letter from its chief legal ofc. that a) "denies categorically" they broke any laws or contract terms and b) argues the city failed to let them "fulfill our obligations" to cure an alleged breach.
Flock challenges city's termination of contract for license plate readers - Evanston RoundTable
Flock Safety, the private surveillance vendor hired to provide automated license plate readers to police in Evanston and thousands of other communities,
evanstonroundtable.com
August 28, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Cities so desperately need more help negotiating the terms of their contracts with private entities. What a world we live in where presidents can shutter federal agencies with a flick of a switch but cities can't get out of their contract with surveillance tech firms.
Reposted by Robert Vargas
It's a conflict of interest not to have a conflict of interest with the police lmao
A civil rights attorney with a history of suing the city over alleged police misconduct has been been chosen to serve as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s director of strategy, a move that one pro-police council member called a “serious conflict of interest.”
Civil rights attorney with history of suing CPD chosen to serve as Mayor Johnson's strategy chief
Sheila Bedi drew the attention of a Congressional committee for representing a pro-Palestinian group that shut down the road leading to O’Hare Airport to protest Israel’s role in the war in Gaza.
buff.ly
August 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
It's a conflict of interest not to have a conflict of interest with the police lmao
Pleased to see attention brought to Chicago’s public-private funding of violence prevention. But feels like the private sector wants it both ways. Celebrate crime declines from programs they fund but opposing taxes for scaling these programs permanently.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/o...
Opinion | Trump’s Crackdown Will Make Crime Worse
www.nytimes.com
August 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Pleased to see attention brought to Chicago’s public-private funding of violence prevention. But feels like the private sector wants it both ways. Celebrate crime declines from programs they fund but opposing taxes for scaling these programs permanently.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/o...
Reposted by Robert Vargas
Reposted by Robert Vargas
🚨NEW: This is what all networks should do!
MSNBC fact checks Trump live during his press conference.
The REAL crime stats are put on screen as he reads out his made up figures.
MSNBC fact checks Trump live during his press conference.
The REAL crime stats are put on screen as he reads out his made up figures.
August 11, 2025 at 4:39 PM
🚨NEW: This is what all networks should do!
MSNBC fact checks Trump live during his press conference.
The REAL crime stats are put on screen as he reads out his made up figures.
MSNBC fact checks Trump live during his press conference.
The REAL crime stats are put on screen as he reads out his made up figures.
Proud of David Hackett for fielding questions about our study live on WGN. For folks worried about the 54 deaths at locations where the tech was turned off, please note that more deaths occurred at those places when Shotspotter was ON last year.
wgntv.com/news/chicago...
wgntv.com/news/chicago...
Chicago violent crime, homicides dropped after ShotSpotter removal, study finds
A new study looks at Chicago crime post-ShotSpotter.
wgntv.com
August 8, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Proud of David Hackett for fielding questions about our study live on WGN. For folks worried about the 54 deaths at locations where the tech was turned off, please note that more deaths occurred at those places when Shotspotter was ON last year.
wgntv.com/news/chicago...
wgntv.com/news/chicago...
A powerful op-ed that should really open some eyes.
Community violence intervention, also known as CVI in public safety circles, is working.
But its frontline workers have been cramping under pressure, forced to smile and swallow pain so funders and nonprofit executives can parade progress.
thetriibe.com/2025/07/opin...
But its frontline workers have been cramping under pressure, forced to smile and swallow pain so funders and nonprofit executives can parade progress.
thetriibe.com/2025/07/opin...
OPINION: Protect the protectors; It’s time for CVI to unionize • The TRiiBE
Community violence intervention (CVI) is hitting its stride, but don’t let the momentum fool you. A strain is showing.
thetriibe.com
August 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
A powerful op-ed that should really open some eyes.
With everyone under the sun trying to claim credit for Chicago’s 2025 crime decline, we created this interactive granular map to examine some of the most popular claims. Take a look. If you have claims you’d like us to fact check, let us know!
uchicago-justice-project.github.io/chicago_crim...
uchicago-justice-project.github.io/chicago_crim...
UChicago Justice Crime Map
uchicago-justice-project.github.io
August 5, 2025 at 3:23 PM
With everyone under the sun trying to claim credit for Chicago’s 2025 crime decline, we created this interactive granular map to examine some of the most popular claims. Take a look. If you have claims you’d like us to fact check, let us know!
uchicago-justice-project.github.io/chicago_crim...
uchicago-justice-project.github.io/chicago_crim...