Jennifer Doleac

Jennifer Doleac is an applied microeconomist with a particular interest in law and economics. Much of her research focuses on how high-tech law enforcement tools that increase the probability of detection affect criminal behavior, and whether such tools are good investments. She has found that DNA databases lead to extremely cost-effective reductions in crime, a result with important public policy implications. In other work, she conducted a year-long field experiment to test the effect of a seller’s race in online markets, showing that black sellers receive fewer purchase offers and are less trusted than white sellers. She is also studying topics related to urban violence, teens’ risky behavior, and how property laws affect divorce outcomes. Doleac holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University, and a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Williams College. She is an NBER/NSF Crime Research Fellow, and previously worked at the Brookings Institution and the Congressional Budget Office.