
Research Scholar / Litmus Old
Biography
Richard Hahn is a Research Scholar in the Litmus program at New York University’s Marron Institute of Urban Management. He served as Executive Director of Marron's Crime & Justice program until it was incorporated by Litmus in 2020 and continues to manage the CJ portfolio. His research interests include institutional and community corrections, substance-abuse prevention and treatment, policing, and drug market dynamics. Current projects include an evaluation of an in-custody diversion program meant to reduce the use of solitary confinement, radical nature-inspired redesigns of corrections spaces, and implementation of a diversion program for gun-involved young adults, among others.
In 2018-2019, Richard was advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo's blue-ribbon commission on the legalization of adult-use cannabis, and he has subsequently advised the states of Washington, Maine, and several municipalities on the design and regulation of cannabis markets, with particular emphasis on public health and social justice.
The goal underpinning this work is to help policymakers find the intersections of safety, health, and prosperity that satisfy the needs of the citizens they serve. Richard is an occasional contributor to national and local media and a frequent presenter at conferences. He received an MPA from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.