How Split-Second Decisions Can Lead to Gun Violence — and How We Can Stop It

A man speaks into microphone while seated in front of an audience
At the Ethics of Now event at the Durham County Main Library, Jens Ludwig recounts being in the passenger seat of a cop car for his crime research. Photo credit: Summer Steenberg.

This is a summary of a story originally published by the Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Behaviorial economist and gun violence researcher Jens Ludwig recently visited Duke University and Durham as part of Ethics of Now, an event series hosted by the Kenan Institute for Ethics. Ludwig, now a public policy professor at the University of Chicago, earned his doctorate in economics from Duke more than 30 years ago.

At Duke, Ludwig spoke with students at the Duke Law School and the Department of Economics about his research into the causes of gun violence. He explained that most shootings in the United States are not premeditated acts, but the result of split‑second decisions made under extreme stress.  

These instant decisions can lead to the heat-of-the-moment violence, especially in vulnerable communities, Ludwig said. 

Ludwig’s recent book, “Unforgiving Places: The Hidden Causes of Gun Violence,” focuses on two Chicago neighborhoods that border each other. Though their demographics are similar, one has half the rate of gun violence as the other. The difference, Ludwig said, comes down to more commercial activity in this neighborhood, which leads to more foot traffic or “eyes on the street” — bystanders who help deescalate conflict before it turns deadly.

Speaking with a group of Duke students interested in gun violence prevention, Ludwig emphasized that there are practical, cost‑effective solutions that work across regions. Training detention officers to teach behavioral intervention skills, for example, can help high‑risk individuals make better decisions during tense encounters.

Ludwig also shared his research in a public event at the Durham County Main Library, moderated by Duke historian and Ethics of Now host Adriane Lentz-Smith. In response to a question from Michelle Burton, a Durham County Commissioner who asked about practical steps to reduce gun violence in Durham, Ludwig again spoke about training detention guards to provide behavioral intervention education. He also highlighted the importance of city planning  — creating neighborhoods that attract foot traffic can decrease the likelihood of violent crime by 30%.

For more information go to the Kenan Institute for Ethics website.