Public policies for peace

Abstract Can public policies influence incentives for violence? Can policymakers design economic and security strategies that effectively reduce conflict, terrorism, and crime? This review synthesizes existing research on the role of public policy in mitigating the drivers of armed violence. It examines a broad spectrum of interventions—from labor market and educational policies aimed at expanding opportunity and promoting inclusion, to strategies designed to deter conflict through detection, enforcement, and prevention. The article summarizes the current state of knowledge, distills key lessons for policymakers, and identifies critical research gaps and promising directions for future inquiry.