The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
Our affiliated professors are based at over 120 universities and conduct randomized evaluations around the world to design, evaluate, and improve programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty. They set their own research agendas, raise funds to support their evaluations, and work with J-PAL staff on research, policy outreach, and training.
Our Board of Directors, which is composed of J-PAL affiliated professors and senior management, provides overall strategic guidance to J-PAL, our sector programs, and regional offices.
J-PAL recognizes that there is a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of economics and in our field of work. Read about what actions we are taking to address this.
We host events around the world and online to share results and policy lessons from randomized evaluations, to build new partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and to train organizations on how to design and conduct randomized evaluations, and use evidence from impact evaluations.
Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters, and connect with us for media inquiries.
Based at leading universities around the world, our experts are economists who use randomized evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. Connect with us for all media inquiries and we'll help you find the right person to shed insight on your story.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Our global office is based at the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It serves as the head office for our network of seven independent regional offices.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
How do policies affecting private sector firms impact productivity gaps between higher-income and lower-income countries? How do firms’ own policies impact economic growth and worker welfare?
How can we identify effective policies and programs in low- and middle-income countries that provide financial assistance to low-income families, insuring against shocks and breaking poverty traps?
In partnership with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, we conducted a randomized trial of a mail-based outreach strategy to connect newly-enrolled MaineCare members with primary care. Members of MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) who were...
The City of Los Angeles Youth Development Department (YDD) is committed to advancing evidence-based youth development, which includes mentorship, career readiness, and financial empowerment. LA YDD is partnering with researchers at the University of Southern...
Pierce County Human Services (PCHS) in the state of Washington seeks to address the unmet needs of individuals experiencing opioid use disorder in the county. PCHS is partnering with J-PAL North America to evaluate its mobile medications for opioid use...
Pierce County Human Services (PCHS) in the state of Washington plans to evaluate the impact of extending a patient’s stay at a fentanyl detox center from five to ten days. Before receiving inpatient treatment, it is recommended for patients to undergo fentanyl...
The Fort Wayne Police Department in the state of Indiana will work with J-PAL North America to design an evaluation on the impact of the Police Department’s Hope and Recovery Team on connecting people with severe mental health issues to treatment. Testing the...
The County of San Diego Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Analytics (OEPA) and the Office of Planning & Development Services (PDS) are partnering with J-PAL invited researchers, Gordon McCord and Teevrat Garg (UCSD), and J-PAL North America to explore...
This study examines if subsidizing public transit fares can address barriers to employment. In collaboration with the Seattle Department of Transportation and a temporary staffing agency called Uplift Northwest, the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic...
This project aims to study the impact of a large one-time cash transfer to families with children who are currently homeless and engaged in emergency homeless services. The project will evaluate how such a cash transfer impacts future homelessness and housing...
We propose an intervention to enhance the efficacy of American Job Centers (AJCs) by focusing on elevating the quality of case management and job search services. Prior work facilitated by a SLII grant has identified this strategy as the most promising...
Promoting housing stability for the millions of households facing eviction annually is a critical policy objective, and a key question is how to target limited emergency assistance funds. This project evaluates an eviction prevention program in Pierce County...
Drug overdose deaths have skyrocketed in recent years, and many overdoses continue to involve prescribed medications like opioids and stimulants. At the same time, state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which help clinicians prescribe these...
King County Metro (WA) meets the public transportation needs of residents with disabilities through its Access program. Unlike people who can use fixed-route transit and are afforded flexibility to take the next bus or train that works for them, Access users’...
Pierce County Human Services is partnering with J-PAL North America to design an evaluation of its Eviction Prevention program as part of its efforts to increase housing stability and prevent homelessness in Pierce County. Participants will be provided...
The Anaheim Police Department (APD) serves the city of Anaheim (CA). Its mission is to maintain a safe community for residents to live, work and play by proactively impacting crime, striving to be a high-performing organization, and enhancing community...
A growing body of research finds that residential evictions are associated with negative social, economic, and health consequences for households and communities (Slee and Desmond 2021; Leifheit et al. 2021; Hatch and Yun 2021; Ghimire et al. 2021; Desmond...
We designed a “blind charging” algorithm that automatically redacts race-related information from police incident reports to prevent racial bias from influencing prosecutorial charging decisions. After successful pilots with two district attorneys, new...
Like other climate-related catastrophes, the occurrence of severe wildfires is growing throughout North America. This escalating risk can be mitigated through efforts by property owners to manage vegetation and other flammable material near homes. Despite the...
U.S. drinking water systems have used lead service lines for centuries, but federal and some state laws ban them or require their replacement due to their now well-known detrimental health effects. Many public water systems are struggling to locate and replace...
This project will examine how means-tested transportation subsidies affect individuals’ geospatial mobility patterns, transportation mode substitution, labor market outcomes, and other socioeconomic outcomes of interest such as health care utilization and...
There is increasing evidence that children's social and emotional health and associated skills and mindsets are strongly related to better education and labor market outcomes in adulthood (Deming 2017, Jackson et al., 2020). Given this evidence, supporting...
Many states have implemented tuition assistance programs to help adults earn credentials that will improve their economic prospects. However, those seeking better employment opportunities also need help identifying the training pathways that lead to their...
This proposal outlines a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluation of the “Step Up” program administered to high-security individuals at the Lubbock County Detention Center (LCDC) in Texas. Using a combination of several types of Cognitive Behavioral...
There is significant policy interest in extending early childhood education in the US, but important gaps remain in our knowledge of the likely impact of such expansions. The North Dakota state legislature recently passed a bill authorizing a series of block...
In 2020, Oregon’s Jackson County was struck by its worst wildfire in history. The fire destroyed over 2,500 homes, most of which belonged to low-income residents. In alignment with state measures to more aggressively mitigate wildfire risk among especially...
Puerto Rico's Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC) Workforce Development Program is focused on better aligning employment services to local needs through their Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programming. DEDC is partnering with J...
Students at risk of frequent school transfers in the New Mexico Public Education system have lower attendance rates, lower school achievement and delayed literacy skills, and higher dropout rates. The New Mexico Department of Public Education (NM PED) is...
Franklin County, Ohio faces an eviction rate exceeding that of both the state and national average. Since 1997, families experiencing rental instability in Franklin County have been able to apply for emergency rental assistance through the Franklin County...
The Colorado Department of Higher Education is partnering with J-PAL North America to look at the impact of an online tool on users’ postsecondary and workforce success. My Colorado Journey (MCJ) is a statewide online platform that assists Coloradans of any...
Federal rental assistance programs are one of the largest and most effective anti-poverty programs in the US, lifting over three million people out of poverty every year. The largest rental assistance program, the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, has been...
Educators and policymakers are facing growing disparities in academic achievement between high and low-income students, differences that appear to have increased as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. A promising cost-effective strategy to address this issue is...
Tom Chang, Mireille Jacobson, Manisha Shah, Rajiv Pramanik, and Samir B. Shah
Type:
Full project
Estimates of willingness to get vaccinated for Covid-19 range from about 50% to 60% and are low even for some groups facing high risk of Covid-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality. These rates are concerning given that models of herd immunity require...
Our project will evaluate whether mitigating risk for landlords can improve housing stability and access to high-opportunity neighborhoods for people with low incomes and poor credit, a criminal record, or a recent eviction. To do so, we will use a randomized...
Around 6% of all children and 10% of Black and poor children are placed into foster care by age 18. They have significantly worse outcomes than their peers in terms of educational achievement, mental health and substance abuse. State agencies provide a host of...
This project estimates the ability of 500 officers in the Los Angeles Police Department to assess non-verbal expressed emotion in the era of covid-19. One of the central strategies currently used to control the spread of COVID-19 is encouraging, or requiring...
This evaluation will examine lotteries of rental assistance in King County, WA (Seattle) for low-income households affected by the Covid-induced economic crisis. King County will offer to pay 3 months of back rent to landlords of lottery winners. This study...
Particulate matter (PM) pollution presents a substantial threat to human health, disproportionately impacting low-income populations. Heavy-duty trucks are major sources of PM but enforcing truck emissions regulations has proven prohibitively costly. We...
This project evaluates two interventions aimed at reducing failure to appear (FTA) rates among people likely to be experiencing homelessness. First, we will test if direct outreach by the Shasta County Superior Court, via text message, can increase court...
Minnesota has experienced a steady increase in COVID-19 cases which is disproportionately affecting the African American, Latinx, and American Indian communities. An ambitious testing program, which includes a partnership of the University of Minnesota, the...
Despite an enormous policy response, opioid prescribing remains well above historical levels and harms from opioids continue to mount. Nearly all states have Prescription Monitoring Programs (PMPs) to facilitate safer prescribing of opioids and other drugs...
The Mayor’s Innovation Team (i-team) works with L.A. City departments to closely examine complex challenges and discover innovative solutions that can improve the quality of life in Los Angeles. The L.A. i-team will partner with J-PAL North America to design...
The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (MTDLI) is a government agency that promotes the well-being of Montana’s workers, employers, and citizens. MTDLI will partner with J-PAL North America to evaluate the effectiveness of Reemployment Services and...
This study will evaluate the effects of faculty's implicit bias training on closing academic disparities by race and gender in higher education. Faculty, who play central roles in students' academics and careers, are well-positioned to address gaps in students...
The Minnesota State Court Administrator’s Office is working with Minnesota Management and Budget and J-PAL North America to test the impact of different text message reminders on failures to appear (FTAs) in court among individuals with court dates for...
The city of Washington, D.C. is partnering with J-PAL North America to to design, pilot and evaluate less-expensive transportation options for low-income residents. In D.C. and elsewhere, low-income households are the most likely to be burdened by the costs of...
Racial disparities exist at every stage of the U.S. criminal justice system and are particularly prominent in the setting of bail. In this project, we are collaborating with courts from around the country to test the effectiveness of an intervention that can...
"Churning” is when eligible transitional benefit program participants fail to renew, temporarily dropping out of their program before reentering within four months. Churn is a widespread issue across transitional benefit programs, negatively impacting...
This project will examine the effect of receiving permanent supportive housing services on housing, health, labor market, and criminal justice outcomes for individuals who repeatedly interact with the criminal justice system. The FUSE (Frequent Users Systems...
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is developing a randomized evaluation to test the impact of texting Virginia residents who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on take-up rates of the EITC. The EITC is a federal tax credit...
The California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) is partnering with J-PAL North America to develop an impact evaluation of the Pre-trial Felony Mental Health Diversion Program, an intervention targeting individuals with serious mental illness who are likely...
The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy is partnering with J-PAL North America to identify ways to increase the use of Minnesota’s prescription monitoring program (PMP) and measure the impact of that increased use on prescribers’ rate of controlled substance...
The Shasta County Superior Court is working with J-PAL North America to test strategies for reducing the likelihood that defendants awaiting court processing in the community fail to appear (FTA) for their arraignment. FTAs can be costly for both individuals...
Work requirements are increasingly common in major public assistance programs, initially implemented in cash support (TANF) and food assistance (SNAP) programs, and starting in 2018 in Medicaid. Proponents of work requirements contend that these policies...
Particulate matter (PM) air pollution presents a substantial threat to human health, disproportionately impacting low-income populations. The transportation sector – heavy-duty trucks in particular - is a major PM contributor. However, enforcing vehicle...
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) is developing a randomized evaluation to test the effectiveness of a text messaging intervention at reducing churn in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP...
This project will be the largest randomized control trial of homelessness prevention services to date and will compare two different approaches to homelessness prevention. We will use a lottery to measure the effectiveness of (1) a combined program of...
The goal of Creating Moves to Opportunity in the Twin Cities is to compare the effectiveness of using tenant-based Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers with mobility supports to using project-based vouchers to provide opportunities for low-income families with...
What is the effect of completing the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Multi-Year Dropout Prevention Program on low-income 11th to 12th graders’ academic and economic outcomes? The City of South Bend, in partnership with researchers from J-PAL and LEO, will...
Improvements in management practices have been credited with generating stunning productivity improvement in the private sector. Although their adoption in the education sector has been slow, management-level interventions have been shown to lead to...
Each year, over 150,000 California high school students receive letters notifying them that they qualify for Cal Grants, grant aid for college that is assigned based on family income and high school GPA. Less than two-thirds claim their awards. The California...
The New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee is partnering with J-PAL North America to evaluate the effectiveness of the state’s early college high schools. New Mexico high school graduates enroll in higher education above the national average but are more...
The California Franchise Tax Board is interested in using randomized evaluations to identify effective strategies for lifting low-income Californians out of poverty by encouraging eligible households to claim the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC)...
Santa Clara County’s Office for Supportive Housing (OSH) is introducing a Rapid Re-Housing program (RRH) for single adults in cooperation with HomeFirst, a local non-profit provider. To measure the program’s success and make decisions about scaling the program...
The Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing proposed to evaluate its rapid rehousing program, focusing on single adults without children. The County’s rapid rehousing program aims to quickly move homeless individuals into permanent housing by providing...
King County proposed two potential evaluations, one focusing on homelessness prevention and one focusing on diversion and rehabilitation of low-level offenders. King County’s Youth and Family Homelessness Prevention Initiative (YFHPI) provides flexible funding...
Baltimore proposed a randomized evaluation of housing interventions for unaccompanied homeless youth, ages 18 to 24. The Homelessness Services Program in the Mayor’s Office of Human Services currently implements transitional housing and permanent supportive...
Sara Heller (University of Pennsylvania), the City of Philadelphia Mayor’s Office, and the Philadelphia Youth Network are conducting a randomized evaluation to evaluate the impact of WorkReady, a summer jobs program for disadvantaged youth. Recent evidence...
WorkReady Philadelphia is a cross-sector, city-wide initiative dedicated to improving the economic outcomes of the region’s youth by attracting, aligning, and investing resources in coordinated, youth-workforce-development strategies. The WorkReady summer...
Pennsylvania uses a Recovery-Oriented System of Care, which integrates substance use disorder treatment services into a single, seamless continuum of care. The continuum of care in Pennsylvania includes 10 distinct types of service distributed across five...
Puerto Rico’s Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF), together with San Juan-based NGO Espacios Abiertos and a team of researchers, is designing a pilot program that would encourage labor force participation among Temporary...
More than 43 million people in the United States live in poverty. Poverty is particularly pervasive in the city of Rochester, NY where rates are more than twice the national average. The Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI), in partnership with the...
In South Carolina, the Medicaid program is administered through Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), which offer different health care plans to Medicaid beneficiaries. These plans differ in their generosity, network coverage, and other attributes, and they are...