Data has been a central part of the Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) since its inception. For the last four years, sites have been using data to inform the development of reform efforts and track progress toward SJC goals over time, and we have seen the positive change that has resulted from this work in many of them. The SJC also presents a great opportunity to develop and disseminate knowledge to the broader field, holding SJC sites up as models that can guide other jurisdictions around the country toward similar successes. To do this, the Foundation has committed to a research investment strategy, grounded in the efforts and data of SJC sites, to expand the field's collective knowledge of methods for effective pre-trial reform, decreasing jail populations, and reducing racial and ethnic disparities. To advance this research agenda, the Foundation asked the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG) to establish and manage a consortium of pre-qualified researchers through which SJC research projects can be developed and granted quickly, and with appropriate quality control mechanisms.
ISLG is thrilled to announce the following seven organizations and individuals as initial Consortium members:
- Center for Court Innovation
- Justice System Partners
- Loyola University-Don Stemen and David Olson
- Policy Research Associates
- University of Missouri, St. Louis-Beth Huebner
- Urban Institute
- Vera Institute of Justice
These members, most of which have already been engaged in the SJC in other roles, were selected through a competitive application process, and will be eligible to bid on a diverse portfolio of research projects in the coming months and beyond.
To ensure that research projects are designed and awarded in a robust and rigorous manner, ISLG has also established a Research Review Committee (RRC)-a diverse panel of ten methodological and substantive experts responsible for working with ISLG and the Foundation not only to select members, but also to help prioritize research projects and select recipients for developed work assignments. ISLG would like to thank the following individuals for serving on the RRC during the first year of Consortium work:
- Hernan Carvente, Youth First Initiative
- Sarah Desmarais, University of North Carolina
- Christopher Fisher, Seattle Police Department
- David Harris, University of Pittsburgh Law School
- Nikki Jones, University of California, Berkeley
- James Lynch, University of Maryland
- Anne Piehl, Rutgers University
- Nancy Rodriguez, University of California, Irvine
- Cassia Spohn, Arizona State University
- Michele Sviridoff, formerly of the New York City Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice
During the first year of the Consortium, ISLG expects to develop and award up to seven research projects, with the first one to be released this week. This first project will focus on the simultaneous impacts of SJC strategies on jail populations and racial and ethnic disparities. Each additional first-year projects will likely focus on one of four key areas: 1) law enforcement and prosecutorial decision-making; 2) case processing; 3) reducing racial and ethnic disparities; and 4) evaluating alternatives to incarceration and other jail population reduction strategies. Many of these projects will also focus on SJC sites, drawing on the case-level data provided to ISLG under data use agreements.
Both the Foundation and ISLG look forward to advancing this research agenda and creating partnerships between SJC sites and some of the country's most skilled criminal justice researchers. We are excited that the research will leverage existing data collection efforts, unpack site data beyond performance measurement, and dig deep into case-level trends and factors that underpin successful reform strategies. Consortium research will provide a unique opportunity to highlight strategies that have positive impacts on systems and communities, and offer lessons about strategies and approaches that may need to be recalibrated.
ISLG site leads have been in touch with site contacts directly to talk about the practical implications of this work for sites, and specifically what they can expect as Consortium research is launched.
If you have any questions regarding the Consortium's work flow, membership, and/or projects, please contact Jennifer Ferone, ISLG Associate Research Director at Jennifer.Ferone@islg.cuny.edu. Broader questions about the role of the Consortium in the SJC Initiative can be directed to Reagan Daly, ISLG's Research Director, at Reagan.Daly@islg.cuny.edu.
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Jennifer Ferone
CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance
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