Spurring scalable innovation

For many years, I’ve been following the work of Callisto, a tech-based platform designed to address gender-based violence like sexual harassment and sexual assault. A primary challenge in this space is that most cases become “he said, she said” scenarios. When only the victim and perpetrator were present, it is very difficult to prove that anything nonconsensual occurred (especially if the bar is “beyond a reasonable doubt,” which it is in criminal cases). This means that most cases are never reported to authorities and most perpetrators never face consequences for their actions. And so, harmful (even criminal) behavior continues.

Enter Callisto, where survivors can save an encrypted, time-stamped account of what happened, while they decide whether and to whom they want to report the incident. That alone is super helpful, as people often question delayed allegations (if this terrible thing really happened, why didn’t you say something at the time?). Even more helpful, Callisto notifies survivors if anyone else files a report naming the same perpetrator (matched via email, phone number, social media handle, or other identifying information that the survivor provided). A lawyer serves as an intermediary for any next steps to ensure such matches are made responsibly. Matches across reports are super helpful in those “he said, she said” cases. One case can feel flimsy — even to the survivor. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding or a bad night? But if six independent reports are made against the same perpetrator, suddenly everyone has more confidence in each one. Those reports are stronger together than they were alone.

I was originally interested in this platform as a potential solution to the problem of sexual harassment in academia, where Title IX offices have proven pretty useless. Perpetrators know that if they harass a student or junior colleague based at a different university (at a conference, for instance), no Title IX office will see itself as having jurisdiction. Callisto could fix this loophole, in addition to providing more evidence through the time-stamped reports and matching system.

Over the last few years, I’ve been thinking about whether a platform like Callisto could also help increase reporting of sexual assault cases to police, and the likelihood that perpetrators are prosecuted and convicted. (As we know, increasing the probability of consequences is the key to deterring crime.) Innovative, tech-based platforms like this could provide traction on problems that have historically seemed impossible to address.

One limitation is a lack of funding. Such platforms are unlikely to make billions of dollars, so are not interesting to venture capital firms. Callisto was originally designed as a service that universities would pay for, but it turns out that universities do not want to pay for bad news about how many of their students are being harmed. (University lawyers are quick to note that their liability is lower if they do not have this information. Yes, I’ve become a bit cynical about academia.) Callisto is now a nonprofit, dependent on philanthropic dollars, though I think there are paths to sustainable revenue streams. For instance, perhaps Callisto could license its platform for use on dating apps or ride-sharing platforms as a way to improve user safety.

Jess Ladd, the original founder of Callisto (she left that organization a few years ago) has now teamed up with Kristin Hatcher to spur other innovation in this space. This dream team recently launched a new, exciting venture: The Fund to Prevent Sexual Assault.

The Fund hosts an incubator for smart, scalable, tech-based approaches to reducing gender-based violence. Their initial request for proposals surfaced many smart and creative ideas, which they narrowed down to three start-ups that now form the Fund’s initial cohort. As part of the development process, founders are expected to pilot their approach in the real world, with a rigorous impact evaluation. With this focus on impact built in from the start, the Fund encourages innovation, experimentation, failing fast, and trying again. Many of the cool ideas it funds probably won’t work. But some will! Their goal is to find and scale the high-impact ideas quickly. Along the way, they’ll build a community of practice — talented builders who are focused on addressing sexual assault. That community will learn from each other and root each other on. And the Fund will demonstrate that funding is available to those who want to use their talents to address this big social problem.

There are many potential ways to reduce sexual violence. The Fund’s first cohort is focused on one important and fresh angle: interventions targeting young men who might become perpetrators. The goal is to meet those young men where they are and guide them toward a better path — one where they learn how to form healthy and fulfilling relationships.

Approaches like this can be controversial in the survivor advocacy community. Many advocates want resources directed to survivors, not perpetrators (or would-be perpetrators, in this case). This zero-sum thinking clearly holds us back. If we can help people avoid doing harm, that doesn’t just help them, it helps their would-be victims as well. (This is true in the broader public safety space too, of course. It’s best to keep an open mind about the most effective way to solve tough problems.)

The three start-ups in the Fund’s first cohort are listed below. (Descriptions are copied directly from the Fund’s website — you can find more info there.)

The Kaisa Project, built by Adam Dodge and Kathryn Kosmides.

A creator-partnership model that works with leading online gaming streamers to introduce conversations about sexual assault prevention with their audiences. The project will collaborate with up to 15 creators to develop short-form video and livestream segments that model respectful behavior, challenge harmful norms, and equip young audiences (particularly boys ages 11-14) with practical language and scripts for navigating peer interactions online and offline.

is this ok?, built by Priya Nakra.

ito (is this ok?) is an anonymous, real-time consent reflection tool designed for teens and young adults navigating ambiguous interpersonal situations. When someone is considering making a move – like kissing or going further physically or continuing when signals are unclear – the tool guides them through a short reflection process that helps them interpret contextual cues, assess whether consent is present, and identify respectful next actions. The system includes built-in “Stop Moments” that flag high-risk scenarios (e.g., intoxication, prior refusal) and prompt users to pause and reconsider before proceeding.

Teach Us Consent, built by Chanel Contos.

Teach Us Consent is launching a youth-focused social media initiative designed to reach young teens where they are – online. The project will develop engaging, relatable, and educational content that equips teens with practical knowledge about consent, healthy intimacy, and respectful relationships, while directing audiences to a broader set of accessible educational resources and tools on our website. Building on a proven large-scale communications model developed in Australia, the initiative aims to normalize conversations about consent within youth culture and make prevention knowledge widely visible, relevant, and actionable.

I’m super excited to see how this first cohort develops, and where the Fund goes from here. And this endeavor has gotten my team thinking about other issues in the public safety space that could benefit from dedicated incubators like this one. Innovative, scalable solutions that make communities safer — especially ones where the path to scale could be a profitable business — are sorely needed. I’m excited to think more about this in the months and years ahead.

• “Privacy through a cop’s eyes” — another excellent episode of The Political Orphanage podcast.

• Atlas of Innovation — IFP’s delightful new index of “funding mechanisms suited to frontier R&D.”

• “Meet Splash: Rescue otter helps law enforcement agencies crack cold cases” — a fun reminder to think outside the box when looking for ways to solve more crimes, faster.

The Corrections1 Book Club recently reviewed my new book:

In her book, “The Science of Second Chances,” author, economist and vice president of criminal justice at Arnold Ventures Jennifer Doleac brings a perspective that challenges the way we understand reform and the opportunities that lie ahead to truly help those within the system, strengthen families and build communities while pursuing alternatives that result in better outcomes.

Over the decades, there have been countless attempts to determine the causes of criminal behavior, the effects it has on society and alternatives to incarceration. How can people be held accountable while upholding the rights of all citizens? How can broken initiatives be aligned when goals for reform are inconsistent, political and poorly communicated? There is no simple answer, and often even the best solutions do not work overall. Taking a deep dive into the economics of criminal behavior and criminal justice reform policy, the author uses an unbiased, scientific approach while keeping the reader engaged with a narrative that is educational and easy to follow.

I joined fellow skeptic Michael Shermer on the Michael Shermer Show to talk about what works to improve public safety.

America’s criminal justice debate usually gets reduced to two options: abolish the system or lock everyone up forever. Economist Jennifer Doleac thinks the data point somewhere else entirely.

In this episode, Michael Shermer speaks with Doleac about what rigorous research can tell us about crime, punishment, deterrence, prison reform, and public safety.

Doleac argues that America has built much of its criminal justice system backwards: too little certainty of being caught, too much faith in long prison sentences, and not enough testing of what actually works.

Listen to the full episode here!