David Mitre Becerril is a doctoral candidate in Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Mexico City, before graduate school, he worked at the Mexican census bureau’s public safety and justice unit and at a government research agency. David will join the University of Connecticut School of Public Policy as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2023.
David's research interests lie in understanding how place-based interventions affect public safety and the role financial incentives play in deterring criminal behavior. Broadly, his research attempts to understand the conditions under which private and public community investments are promising solutions to crime and violence and examine the mechanisms driving such changes. He has written on street lighting, localized urban development, capital investments, bank lending, and the minimum wage, among other topics. His work has appeared in Criminology & Public Policy, has been recognized by the American Society of Criminology (Gene Carte Award), and has been highlighted by news outlets. He has also received the APPAM Equity & Inclusion Student Fellowship.