Policy Research That Matters

ReasonWorks produces research that engages real-world problems with philosophical depth and practical awareness.

Rather than offering abstract commentary, we focus on the kinds of questions that arise when people must act under pressure, or build institutions that others can trust.

Our research articles are academically rigorous yet easily accessible to lay audiences. They have been assigned in hundreds of courses across dozens of colleges and universities in the United States.

We have published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and nearly 40 op-eds, and have delivered guest lectures and participated in public debates across a range of settings. Our work has appeared in academic journals, news outlets, court decisions, and other venues.

Featured Research Article

“Did American Police Originate from Slave Patrols?” Academic Questions 36:3 (2023)

Summary: American policing did not originate from slave patrols. This widespread pernicious myth falsely asserts a causal relationship between slave patrols and policing and intimates that modern policing carries on a legacy of gross injustice. There is no evidence for either postulate.

Featured Op-Eds

"Why You're Not Entitled to Fight the Police" Prindle Post (3/13/2026)

Summary: Bystanders who witness a police arrest lack key information about what led to the encounter, creating an epistemic asymmetry between officers and the public. Because officers are often acting on facts unavailable to the crowd, their actions deserve a provisional presumption of reliability in the moment. Disputes over whether an arrest was justified should be resolved later through the legal system, not by bystanders intervening during the arrest.

"Ten Misunderstandings About Police Shootings" Firearms Research Center (2/23/2026)

Summary: This article examines ten common misunderstandings that distort how the public evaluates police shootings. Each issue is examined against governing case law, human physical limitations, and the realities of time, distance, and reaction. Where possible, body camera footage of real-world incidents is included so readers can see how these encounters unfold.

“Idaho leads the way: Bring back the firing squad” The Hill (10/14/2025)

Summary: If we believe some crimes deserve death, then we should have the honesty to carry it out in a way that shows death for what it is.

“Without Retribution, There Is No Justice” American Thinker (10/8/2025)

Summary: Retribution is the heart of justice. For that reason, society must continue to utilize the death penalty as a legitimate punishment for the most heinous crimes.

"Police Officers, Vehicle Searches, and the Foundations of Public Trust" Prindle Post (6/30/2025)

Summary: Police officers, like everyone else, should be presumed to report their observations truthfully unless there is good reason to believe otherwise.

“A Thinking Person’s Guide to Police Shootings” Human Events (9/25/2020)

Summary: The average private citizen knows vanishingly little about the complexities involved in deadly force encounters. And yet, while looking at a screen from the comfort of their reclining chair, the average private citizen feels equipped to pass judgement on those who are forced to make split-second decisions—or risk being killed.