Episode 2: Can Data Change the Way We See Crime?

In this episode, Jeff Asher speaks with Laura Arnold, co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, about the significant gap between crime data and public perception—and what it means for public policy. Laura shares her journey into philanthropy and how Arnold Ventures is working to drive data-driven, systemic solutions in the criminal justice system. Together, they explore the challenges of presenting data to advocates, the impact of perception on policy, and the need for a cultural shift in how communities engage with crime data. The conversation offers a vision of how evidence-based approaches can drive meaningful reform and solutions for building safer communities.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The gap between crime data and public perception is significant; evidence-based policy is vital for effective criminal justice reform.
• How Laura and her husband’s passion for philanthropy, coupled with their interest in the criminal justice system, led to the launch of a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based policy solutions.
• How data-driven, unbiased research can guide conversations and lead to actionable, lasting solutions.
• Why community engagement is essential for reshaping perceptions about data and building trust within communities.
• How quality-of-life crimes shape public perceptions of safety and fuel misleading narratives.
• Laura’s vision for the future: how can we build a culture of evidence-based practices across policing, pre-trial, prisons, reintegration, and community supervision?

Guest Bio:
Laura Arnold is founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, Arnold Ventures is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity.

Laura and her husband, John, first launched a charitable foundation in 2008. Their philanthropic focus has since expanded to cover areas such as education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. The Arnolds became signatories of the Giving Pledge in 2010.

With an extensive, 15+-year history, Arnold Ventures has been one of the foremost results-oriented philanthropies in the United States. The philanthropy consists of more than 100 experts and leaders on a mission to understand and solve the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems.

Prior to Arnold Ventures, Laura was executive vice president and general counsel for a global oil exploration company based in Houston. She is a founding partner of the REFORM Alliance, a national criminal justice advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the number of people needlessly ensnared in the revolving door of probation and parole, as well as the penalizing nature of fees and fines. She also serves on the Leadership Advisory Council for the Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School.

Laura is a trustee emeritus for the Rice University Board of Trustees. She earned her law degree from Yale Law School, a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College.

Laura was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She and John have three children and live in Houston.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Arnold Ventures at www.arnoldventures.org

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