Research

Working Papers

Safety for Whom? School Policing, Institutional Authority, and Racial Inequality in Discipline Discipline (Link to downloadable pdf)

*Submitted

Abstract: Do formally race-neutral policies produce race-neutral outcomes? This paper examines how school safety policies governing the role of law enforcement in schools affect racial gaps in exclusionary discipline. I estimate the effects of statewide requirements that school resource officers (SROs) hold sworn law enforcement credentials or complete specialized training on Black-white gaps in suspensions, expulsions, law enforcement referrals, and school-related arrests. Using variation in the timing of state law adoption between 2014-15 and 2020-21, I implement a difference-in-differences framework with school-level data from the Civil Rights Data Collection. I find that mandates requiring SROs to hold sworn law enforcement credentials substantially increase Black-white gaps in suspensions and law enforcement referrals in majority Black schools, with no detectable effects in minority Black schools. In contrast, training requirements have no measurable impact on racial gaps in any school context. These results are more consistent with the predictions of institutional frameworks than with those of purely individual-based mechanisms. The findings instead indicate that institutional authority plays a central role in generating racial gaps in school discipline.

Investing in Schools, Saving Lives? School Finance Reform and Homicide Victimization (with Jamein P. Cunningham and Kenneth D. Whaley)

*Draft is available upon request

Abstract: We examine whether investments in public education reduce exposure to violent crime. We study court-ordered school finance reforms, which generate plausibly exogenous increases in public school funding, and estimate their effects on homicide victimization. Using a staggered difference-in-differences design, we find that increases in per-pupil spending lead to statistically and economically meaningful reductions in homicide victimization of 8-15 percent, with effects that emerge over time and are concentrated among young Black males. To interpret these findings, we develop a conceptual framework in which violent crime exposure is an equilibrium outcome of local environments shaped by youth development, public safety institutions, and population composition. Consistent with this framework, the results are most aligned with improvements in youth development environments, with limited evidence for changes in observable public safety spending and suggestive evidence of compositional responses. Overall, the findings suggest that education policy can influence violent crime exposure not only through individual-level behavioral mechanisms, but also through broader changes in local environments. The results further highlight that policy impacts depend on pre-existing structural conditions, with larger effects in communities more exposed to disadvantage, contributing to reductions in disparities in exposure to violence.

Works in Progress

The Impact of Indiana's Governor's Work Ethic Certificate on Post-Secondary Education and Employment (with Chloe R. Gibbs and Abigail Wozniak)

Abstract: Due to asymmetric information, employers often need help assessing high school graduates' employability. To address this, Indiana developed the Governor's Work Ethic Certificate (GWEC), an initiative for twelfth-grade students to demonstrate skills and characteristics valued by employers. Recognized by local employers and post-secondary institutions, the GWEC aims to assist students in securing employment or admission to further education. With support from the Smith Richardson Foundation, this study evaluates the potential impact of the GWEC on post-secondary jobs and wages by analyzing program data from select participating schools linked with state administrative workforce records. We estimate the local average treatment effect on employment and earnings using a regression discontinuity design based on the GWEC completion criteria. We also investigate racial differences in the benefits of completing the GWEC initiative. The findings could inform improvements to the GWEC program and provide a model for similar workforce development programs in other states, ultimately enhancing high school graduates' transition into the workforce.

Racial Differences in Unemployment Duration and Exit Dynamics

Abstract: Racial disparities in unemployment remain persistent, yet less is known about the factors that contribute to these gaps. Using the 2014 SIPP, this paper examines racial differences in unemployment duration and exit dynamics. Black workers experience longer unemployment spells across the distribution, with higher probabilities of remaining unemployed at each point in time. Decomposing exits shows slower transitions out of unemployment along both margins: Black workers exit to employment at lower rates and also exit to nonparticipation more slowly, particularly between four and eight months after job separation. Heterogeneity by marital status and homeownership is more pronounced among Black workers, and married Black workers are less likely to exit to nonparticipation than married white workers. These patterns suggest structural constraints, including wealth, household resources, and discrimination, shape unemployment exit dynamics and contribute to persistent racial disparities.

Non-Peer Reviewed Publication

Davis, M. E. (2024). “Black Economics: Reclaiming the Narrative for Economic Revitalization”. In M. Brown, J. Dieck, S. C. Golden, H. J. King, & A. Parede-Beaulieu (Eds.), SPARK: Rejuvenation in Academic Research (Vol. 4). Published by the Community of Scholars Program Writing Initiative. Retrieved from https://sparkezine.com/2024/04/05/black-economics-reclaiming-the-narrative-for-economic-revitalization/

In Development

Stratification Economics Framework

Page Last Updated: April 2026