David Muhlhausen

David B. Muhlhausen

Research Fellow in Empirical Policy Analysis

Areas of Expertise

  • Crime and Justice
  • Election Integrity

David B. Muhlhausen is a veteran analyst in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis.

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David B. Muhlhausen, a leading expert on evaluating the effectiveness of federal social programs, is a veteran analyst in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis.

A research fellow in empirical policy analysis, Muhlhausen has testified frequently before Congress on the efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs, including before the Senate Committee on the Budget and the House Committee on Ways and Means.

He is the author of the book “Do Federal Social Programs Work?” (Praeger, 2013). In it, he reviews scientifically rigorous national studies that almost unanimously find that federal programs, including Head Start and numerous job-training programs, fail to solve social problems.

Muhlhausen rose to national prominence in 2001 with publication of his analysis showing the highly touted Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to be a waste of taxpayer dollars. His research illustrated that COPS neither had put 100,000 new police officers on the street nor reduced violent crime.

His work prompted Vice President Joe Biden, at the time a U.S. senator from Delaware and chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, to call a hearing specifically to investigate Muhlhausen’s findings. “I want to have a hearing on what has been, from The Heritage Foundation and other places, criticism that the COPS program does not work,” Biden said in opening the hearing.

Muhlhausen’s commentary and analysis have appeared in publications such as the The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Forbes, USA Today, National Journal, and The Hill, and National Affairs Television news outlets such as CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and PBS have featured his analysis of pressing issues.

Muhlhausen joined Heritage in 1999 after serving on the staff for the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he specialized in crime and juvenile justice policies. He previously was a manager at a juvenile correctional facility in Baltimore.

He holds a doctorate in public policy from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and a bachelor’s degree in political science and justice studies from Frostburg State University.

In addition to his work at Heritage, Muhlhausen is an adjunct professor at George Mason University, teaching program evaluation and statistical methods to graduate students.

A native of Colorado, Muhlhausen grew up in Maryland. He currently resides in Falls Church, Va.

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Teen Pregnancy Prevention Failure: “Evidence-Based” Advocates Ignore Facts David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Jul 31, 2017 Over an hour read

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Blueprint for Reorganization: Pathways to Reform and Cross-Cutting Issues David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Jun 30, 2017 2 min read

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Blueprint for Reorganization: An Analysis of Federal Departments and Agencies David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Jun 12, 2017 4 min read

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Blueprint for Balance: A Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2018

Mar 28, 2017 Over an hour read

Commentary

So Far, Federal Job-Training Programs Have Been Outright Failures David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Mar 15, 2017 3 min read

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Federal Job Training Fails Again David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Mar 10, 2017 29 min read

Commentary

Bring Back PART: The Case for Evidence-Based Fiscal Discipline David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Oct 3, 2016 2 min read

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Evidence-Based Fiscal Discipline: The Case for PART 2.0 David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Sep 27, 2016 41 min read

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Studies Cast Doubt on Effectiveness of Prisoner Reentry Programs David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Dec 10, 2015 26 min read

Commentary

Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.

Nov 3, 2015 3 min read