Aaron Gottlieb

Gottlieb’s research employs quantitative methods to examine: the structural determinants of criminal legal involvement; the consequences of criminal legal involvement; and the implications of criminal legal change. The overarching goal of this agenda is to build rigorous evidence that supports efforts to reimagine public safety in an equitable way.

Gottlieb’s past scholarship has been published in a wide range of journals across disciplines including social work, criminology, sociology, public health, and the law. His article, “The Legacy of Slavery and Mass Incarceration: Evidence from Felony Case Outcomes Today,” received the 2022 Frank R. Breul Memorial Prize from Social Service Review. Aaron is currently serving as the Principal Investigator of the Resource Reallocation Lab, a project funded by the Joyce Foundation. The Resource Reallocation Lab will document between and within county differences in how the local governments in populous Great Lakes counties choose to spend their resources, as well as the implications of these funding decisions for violence and other outcomes. 

Outside of the classroom, Aaron has worked to promote criminal legal change: He was appointed by the Mayor’s office to Chicago’s Police Use of Force Work Group and worked with community groups across Chicago to help pass the Empowering Communities for Public Safety ordinance.