Conducting Analysis on ShotSpotter Technology in Durham, NC

Pilar Kelly interned at the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law, creating an evaluation of Durham’s ShotSpotter pilot, a technology designed to detect gunshots. As a Research Assistant, Pilar engaged with the community about ShotSpotter and conducted analysis to determine the effectiveness of this technology.

In partnership with the Wilson Center, Pilar completed a community sentiment evaluation. The project began with mapping the pilot area and conducting research on ShotSpotter’s effectiveness. She conducted community outreach through cold emails, flyers, and attendance at meetings and rallies. Over the summer, Pillar reached thirty residents through eleven focus groups. The next steps involved coding transcripts using NVivo for qualitative analysis, contributing to a report alongside the quantitative evaluation.

This experience marked a significant exercise in independence for Pilar, involving project leadership, scheduling, and relationship-building. Pilar gained confidence in learning while doing, overcoming initial unfamiliarity with NVivo as the project progressed. The community-based research underscored the importance of building relationships and engaging in conversations rather than mere data extraction.