The FBI's recently released crime data confirms what we know: the pandemic-era spike in crime has largely subsided. But what caused it? To understand the big picture, we need to go deeper than federal data, which is only released annually.

The following is an op-ed originally published in City Limits, and is based on our report that uncovers the reasons for the underrepresentation of BIPOC communities in the helping professions, with the goal of developing recommendations for investments designed to address those reasons.

It’s not simply about providing classes. It’s about reducing administrative barriers so incarcerated students can maintain momentum despite transfers, as well as feel supported after release so they can continue on their journeys to success and stability.

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. We’re spotlighting a few of our partners who’ve committed to making mental health services more widely available, particularly for underserved groups.  

An evaluation team at the Center for Complex Trauma is using a community-based participatory research approach to understand how the Center for Trauma Innovation in East Harlem implemented a unique trauma-informed program.

In East Harlem, the Center for Trauma Innovation is supporting the healing journeys of individuals impacted by the criminal legal system with unique strategies to build relationships, provide innovative services, and respond to community needs.  

Participatory research gives community stakeholders a voice in evaluating the programs designed to support them. It creates partnerships between them and evaluation staff to understand program implementation processes, identify challenges, and propose recommendations.  

For the first time in Snohomish County’s history, this collective data allows for a holistic picture of the functioning of the local criminal legal system, from the point of initial contact with law enforcement through the disposition of a case.

Action research is a form of inquiry that emphasizes collaboration between researchers and practitioners to solve real-world problems. CUNY ISLG intentionally chose this model for probation reform to maximize the relevance and applicability of Reducing Revocations Challenge research to conditions on the ground, and ensure practical solutions that could drive real change.

These findings provide evidence that advancing equitable and thoughtful criminal legal reform is possible without compromising safety to the community.

The PPPI brings together students from across CUNY schools, fields of study, and degree programs to be a part of the work CUNY ISLG researchers, policy administrators, data scientists, and budget experts are doing in New York City and across the country.

In 2023, we began leading an entirely new work stream in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation and its affiliates to review and summarize lessons learned from across SJC-funded research projects and initiatives. The goal of this SJC synthesis work is to tap into our unique bird’s eye view to identify issues within the SJC research priorities that inform our work and the field at large.