Patton Chen works at the intersection of the economics of crime, law and economics, and political economy. He is especially interested in how social movements, policy design, and institutional incentives generate or mitigate racial disparities in the criminal justice system. A large part of his current research agenda examines the political economy of police-alternative programs in the United States.

Before beginning his Ph.D. at Harvard, Patton earned an M.A. in Economics from Duke University (2023–2024) and a B.A. in Economics, with a minor in History, from the University of Michigan (2021–2023).