Freakonomics Radio Freakonomics Radio

The economist Jens Ludwig on the culture of police departments, the politics of gun control, and why there’s no social progress without truth.

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In policing, as in most vocations, the best employees are often promoted into leadership without much training. One economist thinks he can address this problem — and, with it, America’s gun violence.

New York City transit chief Janno Lieber thinks it’s more important to make trains and buses fast, safe, and reliable than to make them free.

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It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated. Also: We talk to the man who gets half the nation’s mass-transit riders where they want to go (most of the time).

The Harvard economist on what’s joyous about cities, what to do with vacant office space, and what his profession got wrong about China.

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Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can you say ... “prefab”?)