Data-Driven Programs to Improve Criminal Justice Decision-Making

Through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI), state leaders work with experts to conduct agency-spanning data analysis; develop and implement data-driven, tailored solutions to address complicated criminal justice challenges; and maximize resources to achieve stronger and safer communities. 

Justice Reinvestment Initiative 

JRI is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance—with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and Arnold Ventures—and utilizes experts from The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the Crime and Justice Institute to provide technical assistance to state partners interested in using data to analyze and improve their justice systems. 

States identify the factors that contribute to high rates of prison and jail admissions, recidivism, and corrections costs, as well as more focused concerns such as returns to prison and jail from community supervision and high use of behavioral health and criminal justice resources by specific populations. Leaders use this information to prioritize incarcerating people who pose a serious risk to public safety and use a combination of accountability and treatment interventions for other people. This generates savings that are reinvested in proven strategies to reduce recidivism, support victims of crime, and maintain public safety. 

For more information about the impacts of JRI, to request JRI in your state, or to access help through the JRI Assistance Center, visit JusticeReinvestmentInitiative.org. 

Additional State-Driven Solutions to Criminal Justice Challenges 

Leveraging Technology 

JUSTICE COUNTS 

Justice Counts is a national initiative to improve the accessibility and usability of criminal justice data. Decision-makers often lack even the most basic data on criminal justice patterns and trends to inform their decisions— decisions that have lasting effects on everything from public safety to the people and communities disparately impacted by the criminal justice system. The initiative addresses persistent challenges with criminal justice data: 

It should be easy for all criminal justice agencies to share key data about their work and achievements. It should be easy for decision-makers across the country to use that data to make informed decisions that advance public safety, equity, and fairness. Justice Counts provides tools, resources, and support to help agencies achieve this vision and to help decision-makers most effectively use criminal justice data. 

For more information, visit justicecounts.csgjusticecenter.org.

LANTERN 

Lantern collapses the time between data entry and meaningful data analysis, giving supervision agency leaders, supervisors, and line staff timely, automated, actionable information about community supervision practices at the system and individual levels to reduce recidivism. Lantern uses a three-pronged approach to improve supervision for officers and supervised people: (1) accessible, actionable data; (2) robust technical assistance and policy guidance; and (3) proactive messaging and communications to elevate this important work. 

A collaborative project between the CSG Justice Center and its nonprofit technology partner Recidiviz, Lantern helps participating supervision agency leadership understand factors that contribute to their current supervision outcomes and devise and implement effective strategies to improve them. 

For more information, visit csgjusticecenter.org/projects/lantern. 

Advancing Data in Corrections 

RESIDENT CORRECTIONS ANALYSTS INITIATIVE 

Although corrections agencies allocate significant time and money to collect and track data and to build and maintain data management systems, many agencies lack staff time and resources to effectively use the data. 

This program places data analysts in residence at state departments of corrections (DOCs). Analysts are integrated into a DOC’s research or IT department and tackle projects that are tailored to each agency. They also help DOCs set up new tools and practices that can be easily sustained. Analysts in residence help build basic data analysis functionality to give decision-makers access to reliable data metrics and create data visualization tools and institutionalize routine review of data to monitor operations. 

For more information, visit csgjusticecenter.org/projects/state-corrections-data-analysts-in-residence. 

VIRTUAL ACADEMY FOR CORRECTIONS ANALYSTS 

To effectively meet rehabilitative and safety goals, corrections agencies must understand what happens within their facilities and the agency, as well as anticipate the impact of changes in the system around them. This program involves setting standards for and improving analytical capacity to enable more informed planning and decision-making at the agency and state levels. It will build data literacy and analytic capabilities of analysts within DOCs and leaders seeking tools and guidance to analyze their own data. It will include the following: 

For more information, visit csgjusticecenter.org/projects/virtual-academy-for-corrections-analysts.

Promoting Transparency 

NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR POST-CONVICTION RISK AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT 

Risk and needs assessment results are underutilized to inform case decisions and management. Developed under the advisement of a national group of researchers, assessment developers, practitioners, and leaders, the National Guidelines for Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessment provide direction and prioritize accuracy, fairness, and transparency in the communication and use of risk and needs assessment. 

A self-assessment tool is available to help agencies determine their alignment with the Guidelines and identify what technical assistance is available to implement them. 

For more information, visit projects.csgjusticecenter.org/risk-assessment.