BREAKING NEWS

Israel Prize in criminological research to be awarded to Prof. David Weisburd

Prof. David Weisburd, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will be awarded the Israel Prize in Social work and Criminological research, the Education Ministry announced on Saturday night.
The prize committee was headed by Prof. Zahava Solomon of Tel Aviv University and included Prof. Zvi Izikowitz of Haifa University and Prof. Simcha Landau of the Hebrew University.
“Professor Weisburd is today one of the most prominent researchers in the field of criminology in the world and among the senior criminologists in Israel,” the prize committee wrote of their decision.
“In his groundbreaking research Prof. Weisburd examined the effect of focusing enforcement efforts in troubled spots and showed through extensive empirical studies that the focus of enforcement in one place does not necessarily lead to the migration of crime to another place, but rather greatly improves the fight against crime,” they wrote.
“These efforts helped streamline and improve the quality of life of public citizens. As such, his studies suggest numerous explanations for the formation of crime areas constituting a base for targeted intervention for preventing and dealing with crime,” the committee concluded.
The Israel Prize is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually on Independence Day in a state ceremony in Jerusalem in the presence of the president, the prime minister, the Knesset speaker and the Supreme Court president.