About
The Criminal Justice Research Consortium brings together academics from colleges and universities and practitioners in New York to develop research-based solutions to real-world problems facing local criminal justice agencies: police departments, sheriffs’ offices, probation departments, and district attorneys’ offices.
An initiative of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Research Consortium aims to promote the use of data, foster the implementation and expansion of evidence-based programs, and expand the body of criminal justice research. To that end, the Consortium:
- Connects criminal justice agencies seeking research assistance to academic partners with appropriate expertise;
- Evaluates research projects proposed by academic-practitioner partnerships to determine whether they may be eligible for funding; and
- Shares results through the Criminal Justice Knowledge Bank.
Select programs are supported with small local assistance grants. However, not all types of projects will require funding through the Research Consortium.
This presentation offers details about the Consortium process and project development.
Goals
The goal of the Consortium is to expand criminal justice research and to promote the use of data and the adoption of research-based evidence in local criminal justice agencies.
Other goals:
- Improve criminal justice practices and operations
- Identify and test strategies to address agency concerns
- Contribute to policy-relevant research
- Foster new partnerships and opportunities for collaboration
Partners
- The Division of Criminal Justice Services, which enhances public safety by providing resources and services that inform decision making and improve the quality of the criminal justice system
- Local police departments, sheriffs’ offices, district attorneys’ offices and probation departments
- Researchers associated with a college or university in New York State or adjoining state who have expertise in policy practices
Projects
The following projects have been supported through DCJS and/or the Research Consortium:
- Police-Community Trust Building
- Micro Hot Spot Policing in Buffalo
- SNUG Outreach Worker Survey
- SNUG Social Work Initiative Evaluation
- Non-fatal Shooting Incidents Demonstration Project
- Evaluating Gun Violence Reduction Efforts in Buffalo
- Assessing Police-Community Relations in Rochester
- Examining the Relationship Between 9-1-1 Calls and Gun Violence
- Examining Monroe County’s Swift, Certain and Fair Program
- Examining Oneida County’s Centralized Arraignment Part Courts
- Evaluating Oneida County’s Save Our Streets (SOS) Program
- Evaluating Onondaga County’s Offender-Focused Policing Strategy
- Evaluating Schenectady County’s STRONG Program
Academics and criminal justice professionals may also partner on projects designed to:
- Analyze local criminal justice data, such as reported crimes, case volume, dispositions, or recidivism rates
- Analyze local populations (for example, probationers) or cohorts of individuals participating in specific programs
- Assist with data collection, such as developing a case collection system or process for coding case files
- Survey the community (for example, focus groups on community attitudes toward law enforcement personnel)
- Review geographic hot spots or boundaries
- Develop and implement assessment tools
- Review processes for implementing a new strategy or program
- Assess program impact or effectiveness
- Evaluate new policies
- Evaluate pilot programs
Benefits
Criminal Justice Professionals will:
- Receive assistance and advice on a crime issue/problem
- Obtain a fresh perspective and objective review of an existing program or new initiative or policy
- Test solutions in quick timeframes
- Use analyses to aid decision making
Academic Partners will:
- Help local agencies improve programs and practices to enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in those communities
- Strengthen research skills and contribute to broadening the criminal justice knowledge base in the state
- Conduct research in a real-world setting
- Access funding
Contact Research Consortium
Contact us by email:
Mailing Address:
Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
80 South Swan St.
Albany, New York 12210