Tracey L. Meares

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory

(on leave, 2023–2024)


Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School. Before joining the faculty at Yale, she was a professor at the University of Chicago Law School from 1995 to 2007, serving as Max Pam Professor and Director of the Center for Studies in Criminal Justice.

FULL BIOGRAPHY
Tracey Meares

Contact Information



Faculty Assistant


Patricia Milardo

Education & Curriculum Vitae


J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 1991

B.S., University of Illinois, 1988

Courses Taught


  • Criminal Law and Administration
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Criminal Justice Reform: Theory and Research in Action

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School. Before joining the faculty at Yale, she was a professor at the University of Chicago Law School from 1995 to 2007, serving as Max Pam Professor and Director of the Center for Studies in Criminal Justice. She was the first African American woman to be granted tenure at both law schools.

Professor Meares is a nationally recognized expert on policing in urban communities. Her research focuses on understanding how members of the public think about their relationship(s) with legal authorities such as police, prosecutors and judges. She teaches courses on criminal procedure, criminal law, and policy and she has worked extensively with the federal government having served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Law and Justice, a National Research Council standing committee and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs Science Advisory Board.

In April 2019, Professor Meares was elected as a member to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In December 2014, President Obama named her as a member of his Task Force on 21st Century Policing. She has a B.S. in general engineering from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Wednesday, June 7, 2023


Study Shows First Words From Police During Traffic Stops Affect Outcome for Black Drivers

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares comments on a new study showing that, for Black drivers, a police officer’s first 45 words during a traffic stop indicate how the encounter will end.

Wednesday, May 31, 2023


For Black drivers, a police officer's first 45 words are a sign of what's to come

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares comments on interactions between police and Black men.

Friday, May 19, 2023


Procedural Justice Can Address Generative Ai’s Trust/Legitimacy Problem — A Commentary by Tracey Meares, Sudhir Venkatesh, and Matt Katsaros

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School.

Thursday, April 27, 2023


Yale Law Professor Tracey Meares Shares Stories of Life after Springfield High School

Professor Tracey L. Meares, Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory, is interviewed about her life.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023


Yale Law Professors, Via Open Letter, Support Work on Pardons and Paroles

Several criminal law experts from Yale Law School wrote to stakeholders about Connecticut’s pause in commutations.

Tuesday, January 31, 2023


Professor Meares Receives Fellowship from Russell Sage Foundation

Professor Tracey L. Meares has been named a 2023–24 Visiting Scholar by the Russell Sage Foundation.

Thursday, October 27, 2022


Symposium Explores Incarceration and the Human Mind 

The Incarceration and Imagination symposium brought together scholars, activists, artists, writers, students, and the public to explore the realities of incarceration, its narratives, and the literature and social movements that surround it.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022


The Strange History and Impact of Broken Windows — A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School.

Tuesday, September 6, 2022


Dean Gerken Launches New Podcast Series

A new podcast series launched by Dean Heather K. Gerken at the onset of her second term will feature an in-depth look at the scholars, thinkers, teachers, and gamechangers of Yale Law School.

Thursday, June 9, 2022


Faculty Research Puts Gun Violence in Focus

Professors Ian Ayres, Abbe R. Gluck, and Tracey L. Meares discuss their research on gun violence as calls for solutions intensify following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Sunday, April 24, 2022


Black Woman Named Valedictorian Nearly 40 Years After Her High School Graduation

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor Tracey Meares is the subject of a news story about being honored as the valedictorian of her high school class after being denied the title in 1984.

Monday, April 18, 2022


A High School Graduate Was Denied Valedictorian Title. 38 Years Later, She Gets the Honor.

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor Tracey L. Meares is featured in a story about being honored as the valedictorian of her high school class after being denied the title 38 years ago. 

Wednesday, February 23, 2022


Has Policing Changed Since George Floyd’s Murder?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares was a guest on The Takeaway and discussed how policing has changed since the death of George Floyd.

Thursday, February 17, 2022


Spotify Must Be More Transparent About its Rules of the Road — A Commentary by Tracey Meares et al.

Tracey Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School.

Thursday, November 18, 2021


Police Commissioner, Ex-Cop Alder-Elect Call For National Search For Next Police Chief

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares comments on the selection process for the New Haven Chief of Police.

Friday, July 16, 2021


Police Officers Treat Black and White Men Differently. You Can Hear It in Their Tone of Voice

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor Tracey L. Meares comments on a study showing differences in how police talk to Black and white drivers.

Friday, June 25, 2021


What Chauvin’s 22.5 Year Sentence Could Mean for Changing Police Behavior

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares discusses the Derek Chauvin verdict.

Friday, June 25, 2021


What Chauvin’s 22.5 Year Sentence Could Mean for Changing Police Behavior

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares discusses the Derek Chauvin sentence.

Friday, June 4, 2021


Gun Violence Prevention: A Focus on Police Violence

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares discusses on a podcast why America’s approach to public safety must be examined, how some jurisdictions are implementing change, and suicide prevention.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021


Yale Teach-In Series Reflects on the Path Forward After the Chauvin Verdict

A series of three teach-ins involving Law School faculty, staff, alumni, and affiliates presented an opportunity for the Yale community to reflect and come together in the wake of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

Saturday, April 24, 2021


Will The Conviction Of Derek Chauvin Affect Future Police Prosecutions?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares was interviewed on NPR about the Derek Chauvin trial and how it may affect future police prosecutions.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021


What Happened to the Promise to ‘Defund’ America’s Police Forces – and to Stop Them Killing Black People?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares is quoted in an article in The Independent (UK) about police reform.

Monday, April 12, 2021


Designed to Tear Us Apart

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor Tracey Meares and SMGI Research Network member Sudhir Venkatesh speak on Venkatesh’s new podcast about the consequences of the January 6 Capitol riot and social media governance.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021


America’s promise: Yale experts on how to achieve a more equitable society

Walton Hamilton Professor of Law and faculty director of the Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares spoke to Yale News about advancing racial equity through addressing issues related to injustice in the criminal legal system.

Thursday, January 28, 2021


After The Capitol Attack, Does Police MAGA Sentiment Cross The Line?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares spoke to National Public Radio about Trump-supporting police.

Monday, January 25, 2021


Innovative Gun Violence Course Generates Novel Journal Issue

The Solomon Center for Health Law & Policy and the Justice Collaboratory have teamed up to publish a groundbreaking special issue of The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics (JLME) devoted to the gun violence epidemic.

Monday, January 4, 2021


Experts Say The Pandemic Coincided With The Largest One-Year Rise In Homicide Rates

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares spoke to NPR’s All Things Considered about reasons for the rise in violent crime during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunday, January 3, 2021


Homicides and shootings are on the rise nationwide. Boston is no different.

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares is quoted in a Boston Globe article about a rise in violent crime in Boston during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020


What Black People Really Think About the Police

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares is quoted in the New Republic about attitudes toward policing within the Black community.

Saturday, November 7, 2020


Across The Country, Voters Approve More Civilian Oversight For Police

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey R. Meares was interviewed on NPR about police reform measures that were approved by communities across the country in last week’s election. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2020


The Dystopian Police State the Trump Administration Wants

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares is quoted in a New York Times commentary about possible changes to policing.

Friday, October 16, 2020


New Law School Workshop Explores Impact of COVID Across All Aspects of Law and Policy

The Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy has convened a weekly interdisciplinary workshop with leading experts from law, policy, economics, health, and governance to address issues related to all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thursday, October 15, 2020


Can Politics Handle Police Reform in 2020? An Expert Roundtable

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares took part in a Politico roundtable discussion about police reform.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020


The murder spike in big US cities, explained

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor Tracey Meares is quoted in a Vox article about the spike in murders in large US cities.

 

Monday, August 3, 2020


How Police Compare in Different Democracies

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares is quoted in an article in the Council on Foreign Relations that examines policing in America in comparison to other advanced democracies.

Friday, July 31, 2020


We train police to be warriors — and then send them out to be social workers

Professors Tracey L. Meares and Tom Tyler, Founding Directors of The Justice Collaborator, are quoted in a Vox article about police training.

Friday, July 17, 2020


Progressive City, Brutal Police

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares is quoted in a Rolling Stone special report about police brutality in Portland, Oregon.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020


Reform Expert Approved For Police Commission

The New Haven Independent reports that Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares has been appointed to the New Haven Board of Police Commissioners.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020


What the police really believe

Justice Collaboratory members Arthur Rizer, Michel Sierra-Arevalo, Philip Atiba Goff, Joscha Legewie, Jeff Fagan and Vesla Weaver are featured in Vox about the largely unknown ideology of American policing — and how it justifies racist violence.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020


Do Police Need Guns?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed on NPR’s Here and Now about the role guns play in law enforcement in the U.S. and other countries.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020


Police reform requires culture change, not just diversity, advocates say

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares spoke to PRI’s The World about the limits of focusing solely on diversity when discussing police reform.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020


We listened to people in highly policed U.S. communities

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares’ work on the Portals Policing Project is mentioned in a commentary coauthored by Justice Collaboratory member Vesla Weaver.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020


Obama-Era Policing Proposals Find Some Success, but Ambitious Ideas Are Slow-Moving

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in a Wall Street Journal article about the recommendations made by President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020


How the Federal Government Can Reform the Police

The New Yorker spoke to Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares about how best to reform America’s police departments.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020


Professors Meares and Tyler Join Coalition to Release Urgent Report on Police Reform

Professors Tracey Meares and Tom Tyler joined a coalition of scholars to release a reporting listing out urgently-needed reforms to address enduring problems in American policing

Monday, June 8, 2020


The First Step Is Figuring Out What Police Are For — A Commentary by Tracey Meares and Tom Tyler

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and a Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School. Tom R. Tyler is the Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology at Yale Law School, as well as a Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory.

Monday, June 8, 2020


After the Killing of George Floyd, Hartford and Other Cities Ponder Defunding the Police

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares is quoted in the Hartford Courant about the role of police within their communities.

Sunday, June 7, 2020


Why are African Americans subject to more police violence?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares spoke with TRT World about police accountability.

Friday, June 5, 2020


The Impact of Police Violence on Health

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares was interviewed on WHYY about how to improve relations between the police and the public.

Thursday, June 4, 2020


Residents Call For Police Reform, Dismantling Systemic Racism in Connecticut

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares is interviewed on WNPR about protests in Connecticut responding to the police killing of George Floyd.

Thursday, June 4, 2020


Police violence: “Officers must be accountable for each other”

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares is quoted in a EuroNews report on issues around police accountability.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020


Q&A with the Justice Collaboratory on Police Reform and Procedural Justice

Members of the Justice Collaboratory provide constructive steps forward in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020


What’s behind racial disparities in American policing — and how to solve them

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares is interviewed on the PBS NewsHour about the protests over George Floyd’s death and the treatment of black Americans by police.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020


Experts: Obama-Era Policing Guidelines Should Be Revisited

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares is interviewed on NBC Connecticut about protests in the state and aaround the country.

Monday, June 1, 2020


After Floyd killing, Obama police task force members say their recommendations were shelved

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey Meares is quoted in a Washington Examiner article about President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

Friday, March 6, 2020


Professor Tracey Meares Selected as Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar

The Phi Beta Kappa Society has selected Tracey Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and a Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory, as a 2020–2021 Phi Betta Kappa Visiting Scholar.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019


Obamas, Policing, and Gun Violence

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares covers various topics in this profile, including a project on gun violence with Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy Abbe R. Gluck ’00.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019


Tracey Meares and Emily Bazelon Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares and Senior Research Scholar in Law and Truman Capote Fellow in Law Emily Bazelon ’00 have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Monday, January 21, 2019


MLK breakfast speaker focuses on police relations

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory Tracey L. Meares gave the keynote address at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast in Springfield, IL.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018


After Stephon Clark Shooting, Questions Remain About Police Use Of Force

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed about police shootings. 

Friday, February 23, 2018


Confidential ICE Handbook Lays Out Paths for Investigators to Avoid Constitutional Challenges

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article about strategies ICE uses to avoid constitutional challenges.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018


Everyday justice

Professor Tracey Meares is helping police to build trust with civilians. Read a story on her work in the Yale Alumni Magazine.

Thursday, November 9, 2017


‘Proactive Policing’ Credited With Crime Reductions

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares, Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology Tom Tyler, and Rachel Harmon ’96 are mentioned in a story about a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on proactive policing strategies.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017


National Police Union Mum on Brutality Concerns

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article about the Fraternal Order of Police.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017


Policing: A Public Good Gone Bad—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law and Founding Director of The Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017


Three New Books Discuss How to Confront and Reform Racist Policing

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares and Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology Tom Tyler are mentioned in a book review of “Policing the Black Man: Arrest, Prosecution, and Imprisonment” in which they have an essay.

Monday, May 8, 2017


The 'Portals' Encouraging Real Conversations About Policing and Race

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares and Justice Collaboratory member Professor Vesla Weaver are interviewed in an article about a project facilitating discussions about policing and incarceration among low-income black and Latino communities in U.S. cities.

Sunday, May 7, 2017


Attorney: Police shooting of black teen ‘completely unjustified’

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares was a guest where she discussed police reform.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017


Race and Policing: State and Local Perspectives

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares participated on a webcast hosted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  

Tuesday, March 14, 2017


Yale Law School’s Tracey Meares Discusses Policing and Community Trust

Public trust is the greatest asset a police officer can have when it comes to keeping communities safe, and police need to rethink their role in order to improve this critical relationship, Tracey L. Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School, told students at the Yale School of Management on March 2.

Monday, March 6, 2017


Move Criminal Justice Forward—A Commentary by Tracey Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School. 

Wednesday, January 11, 2017


At Confirmation Hearing, Sen. Sessions Links Police Morale To Crime Spike

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed on the prospect for police reform under the incoming administration.

Sunday, October 2, 2016


Blacks in Tulsa more likely than whites to be subject to police use of force

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article about how law enforcement can increase the public’s trust.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016


Episode 47: A Path for Police Reform

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares was interviewed on the Scholars Strategy Network’s podcast No Jargon about police reform.

Sunday, August 7, 2016


Professor Meares to Judge MacArthur Foundation Competition

Tracey Meares, Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School, will serve as an evaluating judge for a new competition recently launched that will award a $100 million grant to a single proposal designed to help solve a critical problem affecting people, places, or the planet.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016


Professors Tyler and Meares to Hold Webinar on Procedural Justice

Professors Tom Tyler and Tracey Meares will present research during a free webinar on “The Importance of Enhancing Procedural Justice in Interactions with Juveniles," on July 27 at 2pm.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016


Policing should move beyond crime reduction—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016


How Much Can Better Training Do to Improve Policing?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article on training for police.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016


New Orleans Searches for the Truth

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares and Justice Collaboratory member Andrew Papachristos are quoted in an article about a murder in New Orleans.

Monday, July 11, 2016


Did The Dallas Ambush Set Back Reform At Police Departments?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was a guest where she discussed community policing.

Monday, July 11, 2016


Tracey L. Meares Addresses Policing and Necessary Reform in the 21st Century

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares was interviewed about a lecture at the Chautauqua Institute.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016


If You Want Independent Judges, Don’t Elect Them—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Saturday, June 4, 2016


Video Release In Chicago Police Cases Is Unusual, Experts Say

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was a guest and discussed videos of police-involved shootings made public by the Chicago Police.

Thursday, April 14, 2016


Portal Project to Capture Discourse of Fairness, Justice, Equality

The Justice Collaboratory will join with Shared_Studios and artist Amar Bakshi ’15 to bring Portals, a Global Public Art Initiative, to Newark, New Jersey, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin beginning on April 18 to address issues within the United States criminal justice system.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016


Professor Meares Joins White House Meeting on Women & Criminal Justice

Professor Tracey L. Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School, will travel to the White House on Wednesday, March 30 to participate in a convening on Women and the Criminal Justice System.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016


What cities can learn from New Haven's fight to rein in gang violence: Seeking Solutions

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares, Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology Tom Tyler and Justice Collaboratory Program Director Megan Quattlebaum are academic partners to Project Longevity, a multi-city initiative to curb urban violence, and a study co-authored by adjunct professor Andrew Pappachristos is cited in the article.

Friday, March 11, 2016


Training for Police Departments in Procedural Justice

The National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice launched a three-day procedural justice training in its six pilot sites in February 2016.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016


Meares, Tyler, and Goff to Serve on Panel on Proactive Policing

Three members of the Justice Collaboratory—Tracey Meares, Tom Tyler, and Phillip Atiba Goff—were named to serve on the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Proactive Policing.

Monday, January 11, 2016


Crime is down, but we’re still worried

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was a guest on the program, where she discussed crime statistics versus public perception.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015


Fight Crime Sensibly, Not Hysterically—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015


Another Police ‘Reformer’ Takes a Fall

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey L. Meares was quoted in an article about the firing of Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015


Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Kicks Off First-of-its-Kind Law Enforcement Training on Implicit Bias & Procedural Justice

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in a press release about the launch of a California police training program that addresses procedural justice and implicit bias.

Saturday, November 14, 2015


Thin Blue Line; Speakers: Arrests, incarceration don’t guarantee public trust of police

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article about a conference in Springfield, Illinois about challenges facing police nationwide.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015


Scope of police questioned in U. of C. lectures

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares and Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology Tom Tyler are quoted in an article about lectures they gave at the University of Chicago Law School.

Saturday, November 7, 2015


Meares Delivers Keynote at "Policing the Police" Symposium

Tracey Meares, Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law, discussed police accountability, effectiveness, and lawfulness, as well as law enforcement reforms in states around the country in her keynote address on November 6, 2015.

Friday, October 30, 2015


City’s Policing Efforts Set The Tone

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article about recommendations from the presidential task force on policing, of which she was a member.

Thursday, September 17, 2015


Speaker: Police must build trust with their communities

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in a story. Meares was the speaker at Drake University’s 2015 Constitution Day Lecture.

Monday, August 24, 2015


The Key Ingredient in Stop-and-Frisk Reform: Open Data

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in a story about stop-and-frisk policies.

Thursday, August 20, 2015


ABA Annual Meeting 2015: Perspectives on Race, Communities, and Policing in Twenty-First Century America

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed for a segment about about policing in 21st century America.

Friday, August 14, 2015


A Third Reconstruction?—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015


Is the U.S. Criminal-Justice System Broken?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares and Cory Booker ’97 were interviewed as part of a discussion about the U.S. justice system at the Aspen Ideas Festival.

Sunday, August 9, 2015


Introduction: Deconstructing Ferguson One Year Later—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares and Clarissa Rile Hayward

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School and Clarissa Rile Hayward is Associate Professor of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015


State Child Advocate; Policing in the 21st Century

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed about Sandra Bland and other interactions between African Americans and police officers.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015


Sandra Bland Video Shows An Argument With Police Officer

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed in a segment about the behavior of the polic officer in the Sandra Bland video.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015


The simple idea that could transform US criminal justice

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares and Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology Tom Tyler are quoted in an article about procedural justice. Cory Booker ’97 is mentioned.

Monday, June 15, 2015


US police: warriors or guardians?

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares was interviewed on BBC World Service News Hour about the relationship between police and communities.

Friday, June 12, 2015


Playing ‘good cop/bad cop’ in McKinney, Texas

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in a commentary.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015


Experiencing The 'Realities Of Being A Police Officer'

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted on NPR about police training.

Thursday, June 4, 2015


Crime Statistics Don’t Show That the Sky Is Falling—A Commentary by Tracey Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015


What Ferguson Effect? Understanding Recent Ups and Downs of Crime—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares and Jeffrey Fagan

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School and Jeffrey Fagan is the Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law at Columbia Law School.

Thursday, May 7, 2015


Justice Collaboratory Holds Inaugural Conference

The Justice Collaboratory at Yale held its first conference on April 16 & 17 on Policing Post-Ferguson. Vanita Gupta, Acting Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, delivered the keynote address. 

Thursday, March 12, 2015


Where the Shots are Fired

Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares is quoted in an article about how the desire to collect court fees has shaped the behavior of the Ferguson police.

Thursday, March 12, 2015


The Justice Department Announces the First Six Pilot Sites For the National Effort to Build Trust and Reconciliation

The Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School is one of the academic institutions that have joined together to form the National Initiative.

Thursday, March 5, 2015


Professor Meares, Members of Police Task Force Meet with President Obama

On March 2, 2015, President Barack Obama met with the Task Force on 21st Century Policing to discuss its recommendations to help communities and law enforcement agencies strengthen trust and collaboration, while continuing to reduce crime.

Sunday, February 1, 2015


Rightful Policing—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015


Obama Task Force on Policing Includes Yale Law Professor

The radio program has a short profile of Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law Tracey Meares, a member of President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which met for the first time publicly in January.

Thursday, January 1, 2015


Programming Errors: Understanding the Constitutionality of Stop-and-Frisk as a Program, Not an Incident—A Commentary by Tracey L. Meares

Tracey L. Meares is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School.

Friday, December 19, 2014


Professor Meares Named to Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing

Tracey L. Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale Law School, has been named to a Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing aimed at strengthening community policing and trust among law enforcement and the communities they serve. 

Monday, September 22, 2014


YLS Professors Enlisted in Nationwide Initiative to Build Community Trust and Justice

U.S. Department of Justice launches the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice, which will be funded through a $4.75 million collaborative agreement. The initiative brings together a team of experts, including Yale Law School Professors Tracey Meares and Tom Tyler.

Monday, September 23, 2013


Stanley Milgram Library Exhibit, Conference Will Examine his Legacy and Influence on Law and Social Psychology

The Lillian Goldman Law Library will feature a new exhibit on the work of former Yale University social psychologist Stanley Milgram on October 11, 2013.

Thursday, August 1, 2013


Rolling Law Out to the Streets

Yale Law School Professors Tracey Meares and Tom Tyler are working at the forefront of two issues faced by police across the country: reducing gun violence and improving the legitimacy of law enforcement. Both Meares and Tyler are leading the way in using research and cutting-edge theory in law and social science to create strategies to promote crime reduction, procedural justice, and legitimacy of law.

Thursday, March 28, 2013


Tracey L. Meares to Discuss Reducing Violent Crime in Walton Hale Hamilton Inaugural Lecture

The lecture will discuss a book project led by Meares and colleagues aimed at documenting and explaining efforts to address violent crime in several major cities across the country.