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 Law and Justice Dashboard, developed for Snohomish County in partnership with CUNY ISLG, is one of the first in the nation to combine both law enforcement and prosecutor data to provide users a better understanding of affected persons’ involvement in the law and justice system.

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.

As part of its efforts to lower jail populations across America and address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, the Safety and Justice Challenge recently funded a project examining racial disparities within a county jail. The resulting report presents an approach that can build greater racial equity within jail settings.

We’ve put together a snapshot of the work we’ve done and are doing toward our goals of advancing justice, promoting opportunity, and optimizing state and local governments across the country.

The talk series brought together researchers and on-the-ground stakeholders from across the criminal legal field—including advocates, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and service providers—to reflect on New York’s sweeping changes to its criminal legal system, five years after the legislation has passed.

Over the past two decades, the average length of stay in New York City jails has increased 136%, from a low of 44 days among those discharged in FY 2001 to 104 days in FY 2023. While much of the blame for this increase has been placed on the COVID pandemic — and certainly the pandemic exacerbated issues, as it did around the country — that is far from the whole story here.

Put another way, if policymakers smartly address the underlying forces that shape admissions and length of stay, they can not only predict future jail populations, but help control them.

As part of its efforts to lower jail populations across America and address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge recently funded a project examining racial disparities within a county jail.

The RRC is a national initiative that aims to increase success on probation through the identification, piloting, and testing of promising strategies grounded in a robust analysis and understanding of why revocations occur.

Though policymakers are responsible for establishing the policy frameworks, local agencies and practitioners — court officials, law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers and defense attorneys — are ultimately the ones who carry them out. Their buy-in during the legislative process can ensure policies in theory reach their intended goals in practice.