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Ryan S. King is research director for the Public Safety Performance Project (PSPP). He serves as a principal investigator and methodologist on Pew’s research agenda focusing on the impact of sentencing and incarceration policies at the state and federal level.

As lead researcher on PSPP’s portfolio of work on adult and juvenile corrections policy, King oversees a team of investigators producing original and groundbreaking analyses exploring the ways in which criminal justice policies affect offender recidivism, public safety, and states’ fiscal health and helping to shape state sentencing and corrections policy. King leads design, data collection, analysis, writing and quality control of PSPP studies; ensures the project is pursuing a comprehensive research agenda; and works with external partners to broaden the project’s research capacity.

Prior to joining Pew, King was a Policy Analyst at the Sentencing Project for eight years, where he authored dozens of publications focused on sentencing and corrections policy.  His work has appeared in Criminology & Public Policy andthe Federal Sentencing Reporter.  King has addressed members of the Maryland House of Delegates and the Canadian House of Commons.  In addition, King’s work has been featured in the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today and he has appeared on local and national radio programs to discuss sentencing and corrections issues.

King holds a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.S. in justice, law, and society from the American University.