News

Kyle S.H. Dobson
Apr 17, 2025

Ten Small Words Can Make a Big Difference in Community Policing

New research from UVA Batten assistant professor Kyle S. H. Dobson has identified a simple and cost-effective method for improving police interactions with community members that requires only ten small words. In a paper published last month in Nature Communications, Dobson and his co-researchers found that an officer stating a benevolent intention up front —  something as simple as, “I’m walking around trying to get to know the community,” — made a substantial difference in how community members responded. 

bocanegra and La Vigne
Nov 20, 2024

Ending Gun Violence Starts with Understanding

Eddie Bocanegra with the U.S. Department of Justice, and Nancy La Vigne of the National Institute of Justice of the United States joined Assistant Professor Kyle S.H. Dobson for a panel discussion about policy solutions to gun violence.

Dobson and Williams
Apr 04, 2024

Batten Professors Focus on Community Well-Being

About 50 people from across the state and beyond and from all walks of life were invited by Batten professors Kyle Dobson and Brian Williams to a daylong workshop to share, listen and learn with each other as they envisioned the steps needed to enhance safety and health in troubled communities.  

Garrett Hall at Sunset

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