Jens Ludwig is the Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, Pritzker Director of the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab, and co-director of the Education Lab. He helped found the Crime Lab and Education Lab to work closely with the public sector to solve pressing social problems. These partnerships have led to important policy changes in cities around the country, including Chicago and New York, and have been featured in national news outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, PBS News Hour, and National Public Radio.

On April 21st, 2025, Ludwig released his book Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence. Drawing on decades of research and immersive fieldwork in Chicago, Ludwig shows that most gun violence is the result of fleeting, emotionally charged moments—and that the solutions can be simple, sidestepping the political debates that have hampered progress on one of the United States’ most intractable problems. His book has been featured in media outlets across the country including the Atlantic, the Chicago Tribune, WBEZ, and the Daily Economy.