ALL POSTS:
UpClose with John Malcolm
This month’s member spotlight features John Malcolm. Malcolm oversees The Heritage Foundation's work to increase understanding of the Constitution and the rule of law as director of the think tank's Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies.
First Step Act Implementation and Beyond – A Conversation with Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters
On January 22, the leaders of the Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice initiative – Khalil Cumberbatch and Marc Levin – led a conversation with Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters to discuss the First Step Act.
Racial Disparities Among Veterans
What does the data tell us about racial disparities among veterans? This fact sheet provides a snapshot, examining the racial breakdown for arrests, incarceration, homelessness, military justice, and more.
Trends in Motor Vehicle Theft: What You Need to Know
This fact sheet provides a snapshot of motor vehicle theft in the U.S. It examines changes in theft rates since 1960 and explores other variables, such as arrests, theft location, and clearance rates.
UpClose with Ciera Bates-Chamberlain
This month’s member spotlight features Ciera Bates-Chamberlain. Bates-Chamberlain was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. She is committed to furthering the fight for social and economic justice by strengthening communities through radical theology.
Unwavering Intent: Congress’ Enduring Commitment to Veterans Benefits
The VA denies benefits to service members assigned an “other than honorable” discharge. Does that practice align with what Congress intended, and what’s best for veterans and public safety?
Perspectives on DOJ Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap
After the DOJ released its Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap, Violent Crime Working Group members shared their perspectives on their experience and the importance of the Ten Essential Actions.
Event Recording: The First Step Act – From Idea to Implementation
On December 7, 2023, the leaders of the Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice initiative – Khalil Cumberbatch and Marc Levin – led a discussion on the First Step Act ahead of the fifth anniversary of its passage.
Being Detained Pretrial Affects Defendants’ Likelihood of Incarceration
This research examines the effect of pretrial detention on convictions, guilty pleas, case dismissals, sentence length, and charge reductions.
Does Bail Reform Increase Crime?
This research examines whether New York State legislation that limited the use of money bail and expanded pretrial release influenced crime rates.
Do Minimum Wage Levels Influence Youth Offending?
In this analysis, the Council reviews a study showing that increasing the minimum wage increases arrests for larceny, vandalism, and disorderly conduct among 16- to 24-year-olds. The study found that the arrest increase was consistent across genders, but that the effect was larger for males.
UpClose with Barron Jones
This month’s member spotlight features Barron Jones. Barron joined the ACLU of New Mexico in January 2018 after spending several years working as a journalist for the Rio Grande Sun in Española where he covered stories related to government accountability and education.
From Service to Sentencing: Unraveling Risk Factors for Criminal Justice Involvement Among U.S. Veterans
How might military service be linked to criminal justice system involvement? This brief explores risk factors that may explain connections between service and criminal behavior among U.S. veterans.
Did Violent Crime Go Up or Down Last Year? Yes, It Did.
While the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data showed a drop in the nation’s violent crime rate in 2022, data from the National Crime Victimization Survey showed that violent crime victimization increased. What does this discrepancy mean and why might it exist?
Meeting #5: Crime Trends Data Tool Usability and Obstacles to NIBRS Adoption
At its fifth meeting, the Crime Trends Working Group heard reports from subgroups on the challenges of transitioning to the National Incident-Based Reporting System and how to improve the usability of the FBI’s crime data tool.
Suicide Among Justice-Involved Veterans: Understanding Risk and Meeting Needs
This brief examines current research on the overlapping risk factors for veteran suicide and justice system involvement, as well as some unique effects that criminal justice contact may have on veteran suicide.
UpClose with Tina Nadeau
This month’s member spotlight features Tina Nadeau. Tina Nadeau was appointed Associate Justice to the New Hampshire Superior Court in 1996, and in 2011, was appointed Chief Justice of the Superior Court. Justice Nadeau received a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1985, and she received her law degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law in 1989.
First Step Act: An Early Analysis of Recidivism
This analysis estimates recidivism rates among individuals released from BOP prior to the FSA who had similar risk profiles and were tracked for similar periods of time as those released under the FSA.
What Shapes the Public’s Confidence in Law Enforcement?
This research examines how the racial and gender diversity, behavior, and effectiveness of police departments influence public confidence in law enforcement and the belief that police can be held accountable.
Does Stable Employment Post-Release Reduce Recidivism?
This analysis highlights research that suggests secure employment following imprisonment can significantly reduce recidivism, a finding that held regardless of a person’s past work experience and criminal history.
Receiving a Ticket Reduces the Likelihood of Voting
Do traffic stop tickets influence how likely motorists are to vote? In this analysis, the Council reviews a study showing that receiving a ticket negatively affects participation in elections. This impact was larger for midterm elections and varied by race.
Meeting #4: Exploring Changes in Homicide and Motor Vehicle Theft Rates
In the Crime Trends Working Group’s fourth meeting, members reviewed CCJ’s latest crime trends report and discussed changes in homicide and motor vehicle theft rates.
UpClose with Ekow Yankah
This month’s member spotlight features Ekow Yankah. Professor Yankah holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Columbia Law School and Oxford University.
Meeting #3: The National Incident-Based Reporting System, An Introduction to Challenges and Solutions
In the Crime Trends Working Group’s first in-person meeting, members discussed challenges with implementation and the usability of the federal government’s current crime data reporting structure and prepared to establish recommendations for improvement.
UpClose with Beth Skinner
This month’s member spotlight features Beth Skinner. Dr. Beth Skinner was named the Director of the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) in June 2019. Director Skinner started her career as an intern with the Sixth Judicial District, Department of Correctional Services in Coralville, Iowa in 2002.
Event Recording: Pretrial Justice, Sentencing and Corrections—Finding Common Ground in State Capitals
On May 15, the leaders of the Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice initiative – Khalil Cumberbatch and Marc Levin – led a discussion exploring bipartisan cooperation on pretrial justice, sentencing, and corrections with three experts from the field.
Meeting Bulletin #2: Developing the Crime Trends Research Agenda
In the Crime Trends Working Group’s second meeting, members discussed what research is needed to inform discussions on nationwide crime trends and identified initial topics for investigation.
GOVERNINGWhy We Need More College Graduates Behind the Badge
Attracting more people with four-year degrees — and more women — into policing is likely to produce better outcomes. Among other things, they are less likely to draw complaints and use force.
Can Repairing Abandoned Housing Reduce Gun Violence?
This research examines whether environmental changes such as housing façade repairs, trash cleanup, or weed removal can improve health and safety in low-income, Black neighborhoods.
Relief from Criminal Justice Fees Prevents Increased Debt but Does Not Impact Crime
In this analysis, the Council reviews research examining the effects of debt relief on the likelihood of criminal activity and future involvement in the criminal justice system.
Combining Procedural Justice Training and Hot Spots Policing Reduces Crime and Improves Community Relations
This analysis reviews a study showing that blending hot spots policing with procedural justice training has positive effects on crime rates, police behavior, and perceptions of police.
UpClose with Leslie Cooper
This month’s member spotlight features Leslie Cooper. As PSA Director, Ms. Cooper leads in a direction not only to enhance the Agency's reputation as the premier pretrial justice organization in the country, but also to ensure that the services the Agency provides to our criminal justice stakeholders and client population are of the highest quality.
Washington Monthly
America Doesn’t Need Public Mugshots of Donald Trump or Joe Blow
Releasing police photos of those who have been arrested does little good and much harm. Here’s why.
Meeting Bulletin #1: Convening the Crime Trends Working Group
In their first meeting, members shared their motivations for participating in the project; several expressed a desire for better national crime data to guide local policy and practice and an eagerness to make data more accessible and clearer to the public.
UpClose with Brett Tolman
This month’s member spotlight features Brett Tolman, founder of the Tolman Group and chair of the firm’s White Collar, Corporate Compliance, and Government Investigations section.
The Hill
How DC can satisfy Congress and bolster public safety
Congress’s rejection of the D.C. criminal code overhaul comes on the heels of public discontent and valid concerns over violent crime rates, which are declining in most cities but remain well above 2019 levels.
GOVERNING
Jail Before Trial Should Be the Exception, Not the Norm
Lawmakers in some states are pushing to make it harder for defendants to avoid pretrial detention. There are better ways to protect public safety that don’t conflict with the presumption of innocence.
UpClose with Ganesha Martin
This month’s member spotlight features Ganesha Martin, President & CEO at G.M.M. Consulting, LLC and VP of Public Policy and Community Affairs at Mark43.
Jurors Appear to Weigh Sympathy for Defendants in Capital Sentencing Cases
Does information about defendants’ adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse or neglect, affect jurors’ sentencing decisions in death penalty cases? This research examines that question.
Electronic Monitoring of Girls Fails to Reduce Recidivism
What impact does electronic monitoring have on girls who have been adjudicated for delinquency or truancy? In this analysis, the Council reviews research on the effectiveness of such monitoring for reducing reoffending and improving outcomes among adolescent girls.
Do 911 Call Takers Prime Officers for Danger?
This analysis investigates how call takers who routinely assess calls as high-risk influence police officers’ interpretations of the scene. It also explores practical ways police agencies can respond to the problem.
The Hill
‘Hotspot policing’ — We must recalibrate tactics after Nichols killing
When robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he famously said “because that’s where the money is.” This has also been the sensible rationale for hotspot policing.
Pandemic, Social Unrest, and Crime in U.S. Cities: Year-End 2022 Update
A new analysis for CCJ looks at crime trends in major U.S. cities, extending the data through year-end 2022.
The Impact of De-escalation Training on Police Use of Force in Louisville, KY
What effect does de-escalation training have on police use of force? In this analysis, the Council reviews research on the effectiveness of the Police Executive Research Forum’s ICAT training in the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Are People With a Mental Health Diagnosis More Likely to Do Time in Solitary?
This piece highlights a study that explores the relationship between a person’s mental illness diagnosis and solitary confinement, what might explain the association, and what can be done.
Meeting 8: Task Force on Long Sentences
At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ eighth meeting (September 7, 2022), members focused on prison programs and conditions for people serving long prison terms, defined by the Task Force as those of ten years or more. Task Force consultant Roger Przybylski (RKC Group) presented on prison programs, reentry, and release planning for longtermers. Key…
Meeting 7: Task Force on Long Sentences
At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ seventh meeting (August 13, 2022), members reviewed the statutory and discretionary “back end” laws, policies, and practices that determine the time individuals who receive long sentences actually serve before release. Members heard from Professor Kevin Reitz (University of Minnesota Law School), who presented key findings from a recently…
Meeting 6: Task Force on Long Sentences
At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ sixth meeting (July 13, 2022), criminologist Roger Przybylski (RKC Group) reviewed findings from CCJ’s Long Sentences by the Numbers analysis and the research about long sentences and their impact on public safety. While this meeting summarized existing literature, the Task Force also is conducting original research on the…
Meeting 5: Task Force on Long Sentences
At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ fifth meeting (June 8, 2022), members reviewed research findings on how court practices and different sentencing rationales drive long prison terms. Dr. Brian Johnson (University of Maryland) provided members with an overview of research on how court practices influence long sentences. Key Findings from the Presentation:
Meeting 4: Task Force on Long Sentences
At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ fourth meeting (May 11, 2022), members examined how legislatures have shaped the nation’s use of long sentences. Task Force Director John Maki provided an overview of the significant diversity that characterizes our nation’s sentencing systems, the primary statutory mechanism that legislatures have used to increase prison sentences and…
Meeting 3: Task Force on Long Sentences
At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ third meeting (April 20, 2022), members focused on what research, the experience of directly impacted people, and the expertise of professionals teach us about how long sentences address the needs associated with serious and violent victimization. The meeting featured two presentations. John Maki, Long Sentences Task Force Director,…
Meetings 1 & 2: Task Force on Long Sentences
At the beginning of 2022, the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) established the Task Force on Long Sentences to assess the impact of prison sentences of 10 or more years and make recommendations that advance safety and justice. The Task Force’s first meeting (February 24, 2022) brought members together to draft guiding principles to help…
UpClose with Chief Justice Michael Boggs
This month’s member spotlight features Chief Justice Michael Boggs, appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia on December 7, 2016
What is Centering Justice?
We believe shared values across the ideological spectrum can be translated into criminal justice policies and practices worthy of our highest ideals.
UpClose with Jeffrey Korzenik
This month’s member spotlight features Jeffrey Korzenik, the Chief Investment Strategist for Fifth Third Bank.
Washington Monthly
Don’t Abort Local Prosecutors’ Discretion
Levin and Cumberbatch discuss the importance of maintaining local prosecutorial discretion.
From Service through Reentry
A Preliminary Assessment of Veterans in the Criminal Justice System
This report summarizes the current state of knowledge about veterans in the civilian justice system and serves as a foundation for the Veterans Justice Commission’s work.
UpClose with Richard Jerome
This month’s member spotlight features Richard Jerome, civil rights lawyer and expert in police accountability.
Pandemic, Social Unrest, and Crime in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2022 Update
A new analysis for CCJ looks at crime trends in major U.S. cities, extending the data through 2022 mid-year.
New CCJ Analysis: Long Sentences by the Numbers
The Task Force on Long Sentences is assessing our nation’s use of long prison terms and formulating recommendations to advance safety and justice. This series of charts serves as a foundation for the deliberations of the group, a diverse set of experts from varied sectors of the criminal justice field and across the ideological spectrum.
Health and Reentry Project
Issue Brief 2
This issue brief outlines key principles for changing Medicaid’s role in reentry, proposes a new reentry care model, and identifies essential elements for successful implementation of potential new Medicaid reentry policies.
UpClose with Tarra Simmons
This month’s member spotlight features Tarra Simmons, representative for the 23rd legislative district in Washington State and founding director of Civil Survival.
Protecting Public Safety
Presented by CCJ and
The Washington Post Live
In a powerful summit on June 28, 2022, with support from Arnold Ventures, the Council on Criminal Justice and Washington Post Live convened a cross section of leaders from around the country to discuss the most effective ways to strengthen both public safety and trust.
UpClose with Beau Kilmer
This member video spotlights Beau Kilmer, Director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center.
Statements on President Biden’s Executive Order on Policing
Members of CCJ staff and the Council's Task Force on Policing share perspectives on President Biden's executive order on policing.
UpClose with James Forman, Jr.
Our newest member video spotlights CCJ Board of Trustees member James Forman, Jr., a professor at Yale Law School and faculty director of the Yale Law and Racial Justice Center.
UpClose with David Safavian
Our newest member video spotlights David Safavian, Deputy Director of the American Conservative Union Foundation's Center for Criminal Justice Reform.
Health and Reentry Project
Issue Brief 1
This issue brief describes Medicaid’s role as well as the policy changes that are under consideration, health care in the criminal justice system, and key implementation issues that will be central to the success of changing Medicaid’s role at reentry.
UpClose with Chico Tillmon
Our newest member video spotlights Chico Tillmon, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Chicago Crime and Education Labs, violence prevention expert, and member of CCJ’s Violent Crime Working Group.
Extending Medicaid Coverage to Incarcerated People
The Health and Reentry Project was launched to maximize the beneficial impacts of a Medicaid policy shift on public health and public safety.
Pandemic, Social Unrest, and Crime in U.S. Cities:
Year-End 2021 Update
A new analysis for CCJ looks at crime trends in major U.S. cities, extending the data through the end of 2021.
Event Recording: Ten Essential Actions Cities Can Take to Reduce Violence Now
Watch six members of the Violent Crime Working Group discuss their final report "Saving Lives: Ten Essential Actions Cities Can Take to Reduce Violence Now"
Saving Lives: Ten Essential Actions
Cities Can Take to Reduce Violence Now
Amid a rise in homicide, diverse CCJ panel urges leaders to reject “us vs. them” politics and collaborate on ten essential steps to reduce violence now.
Meeting Bulletin #7: Integrating Local Violence Reduction Efforts; State and Federal Support
At two meetings in November, Working Group outlines the importance of strong local leadership to a successful anti-violence strategy, and what the state and federal governments should do to provide support.
UpClose with Janelle Melohn
Melohn discusses the challenges victims and survivors have faced during the pandemic and how the victims services field has evolved.
Meeting Bulletin #6: Victimization, Trauma, Mental Health, and Violent Crime
At its eighth meeting, the Violent Crime Working Group examines impacts of victimization and trauma on mental health and violent crime.
UpClose with Jessica Hulsey
In the October member feature, Addiction Policy Forum Founder and CEO Jessica Hulsey discusses the unique challenges the pandemic created for individuals with substance use disorders.
Event Recording: Collaborative Approaches to Reducing Community Gun Violence
Watch three members of the Violent Crime Working Group discuss how police and communities can work together to stop violence and save lives.
September 2021 Update: Pandemic, Social Unrest, and Crime in U.S. Cities
A new analysis for CCJ looks at crime trends in major U.S. cities through the first nine months of 2021.
Meeting Bulletin #5: Law Enforcement Based Responses to Violence
At two sessions in October, the Violent Crime Working Group highlights the promise of key violence reduction strategies, provides guidance to help leaders now.
Meeting Bulletin #4: Community Based Responses to Violence
At two Sessions in September, the Working Group highlights the promise of four key violence reduction strategies, provides guidance to help leaders launch programs now.
Assessing the Evidence: Findings and Recommendations
This two-page document outlines the package of 16 assessments to help police agencies provide effective, equitable, and respectful services to all of those they are sworn to protect.
Priorities for State Policing Reform
This two-page document highlights which states are leading the way on police reform based on the Task Force’s Five Priorities.
Meeting Bulletin #3: Understanding Violent Crime
In the Violent Crime Working Group's third meeting, members discussed the evolving nature of violent crime.
Recidivism Rates: What You Need to Know
The first national report on recidivism rates in three years is just out from the Justice Department. In a new brief, the Council highlights key takeaways, noting that return-to-prison rates have dropped significantly.
UpClose with Alex Piquero
Dr. Alex Piquero, Chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Miami, discusses his research on the increase in domestic violence during the pandemic and shares some thoughts on police reform.
Meeting Bulletin #2: Crime Trends in Context
In the Violent Crime Working Group's second meeting, members identified the possible drivers of recent spikes in violent crime.
Event Recording: Violent Crime Webinar
Watch researchers, analysts, and Council members discuss the latest rising crime trends, as well as what’s behind them.
UpClose with Wendy Still
Wendy Still shares how community supervision has shifted to include a more holistic, needs-based approach and the way that her work implements these newer practices.
Meeting Bulletin #1: Convening the Violent Crime Working Group
In the Violent Crime Working Group's first meeting, diverse experts identified the values and goals they will bring to their urgent work.
Update: Pandemic, Social Unrest, and Crime in U.S. Cities
June crime statistics show homicides and violent crimes increased by 16% in the first half of 2021 compared to the prior year.
UpClose with Eduardo Bocanegra
Eduardo Bocanegra discusses the challenges his organization faces as it works to reduce urban gun violence and his perspective on criminal justice.
Event Recording: Congressional Briefing | Criminal Justice After the Pandemic
Led by former U.S. Attorneys General Hon. Alberto Gonzales and Loretta Lynch, the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice issued recommendations for a post-pandemic world.
UpClose with Cynthia Lum
Dr. Cynthia Lum discusses what lies ahead for American law enforcement and the key barriers to reform.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Crime
This updated analysis explores trends in violent, property, and drug offenses during the COVID-19 pandemic through March 2021.
Reducing Violence, Restoring Confidence
Expert panelists discussed rising homicide rates and how we can address them proactively.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and SUD Treatment
Arriving in the midst of an opioid crisis, evidence suggests that COVID-19 and associated policies negatively impacted people with substance use disorders.
UpClose with Dan Meyer
Nehemiah Manufacturing Co. Founder Dan Meyer speaks about his mission to build brands, create jobs, and change lives through employment and whole life coaching in Cincinnati.
Impact Report: COVID-19 Testing in State Prisons
Evidence suggests that more testing, early testing, and early mass testing may have been strategies that helped states achieve lower rates of COVID-19 mortality behind bars.
Watch: Task Force Members Discuss First Briefs on Duty to Intervene, No-Knock Warrants, Chokeholds
Task Force members DeRay Mckesson, Sheriff Rosie Rivera, and Tashante McCoy-Ham joined director Nancy La Vigne for a conversation about their first set of recommendations.
Watch: Stopping Violence and Saving Lives
A panel of violence reduction experts gather for a conversation on community-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Domestic Violence Trends
Advancing knowledge about the impacts of the pandemic on domestic violence, a review of multiple studies comparing incidents of abuse before and after jurisdictions began imposing lockdowns finds an 8.1% increase.
Marc Levin: DOJ Charging Memo Recission Aids Prosecutorial Discretion
CCJ Chief Policy Counsel Marc Levin shares his perspective on the U.S. Department of Justice's role in complicating prosecutorial discretion.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Crime
Two researchers evaluating crime trends in 34 American cities during the pandemic and social unrest over police violence presented new findings through December 2020 in a report for the Commission.
Task Force Statement on the Assault at Our Nation’s Capitol
As the Task Force finalized its first assessments of policing reforms intended to reduce use of force and increase accountability, armed civilians invaded our nation’s Capitol in a violent insurrection broadcast live in millions of American living rooms.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Prisons
Advancing knowledge about the impacts of COVID-19 on state and federal prisons, a report to the Commission updates a previous report on rates of COVID-19 infection and mortality in correctional facilities and describes differences in such rates among states.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Jails
A report by researchers with the NYU Public Safety Lab, based on data from 375 jails across 39 states, examined changes in jail populations, their composition, and rebooking trends from Jan. 1 through late October.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Crime
Two researchers evaluating crime trends in 27 American cities during the pandemic and social unrest over police violence presented new findings through October 2020 in a report for the Commission.
UpClose with Alice Marie Johnson
Learn more about Alice Marie Johnson's journey after her release from incarceration, including her role as CEO of the Taking Action for Good Foundation.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Opioid Use Disorder
A report by researchers with the NYU Public Safety Lab, based on data from 375 jails across 39 states, examined changes in jail populations, their composition, and rebooking trends from Jan. 1 through late July.
Impact Report: Racial Disparities and COVID-19
This report reviews racial disparities in health and criminal justice outcomes and explores, as well as possible, how those same disparities have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
UpClose with Carlos Martinez
Carlos Martinez shares his story with the Council, from his past as a public defender to helping citizens returning from incarceration obtain employment.
Impact Report: Evidence for Public Health Measures to Reduce Risk
Johns Hopkins researchers summarize the current state and future projections of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and detail the impact that the pandemic has already had on the criminal justice system.
Public Perceptions of the Police
A striking partisan divide characterizes public perceptions of police in the United States. The Council delves into these perceptions in a discussion with key researchers and experts.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Crime
Two researchers evaluating crime trends in 27 American cities during the pandemic and social unrest over police violence presented new findings through August 2020 in a report for the Commission.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Jails
A report by researchers with the NYU Public Safety Lab, based on data from 375 jails across 39 states, examined changes in jail populations, their composition, and rebooking trends from Jan. 1 through late July.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Prisons
Advancing knowledge about the impacts of COVID-19 on state and federal prisons, a report to the Commission examines rates of COVID-19 infection and mortality in correctional facilities and describes differences in such rates among states.
Research in Brief: Domestic Violence Calls for Service
Two researchers briefed the Commission on their study exploring domestic violence calls for service to police.
Impact Report: State and Local Budgets
Experts from the Urban Institute explore present and future financial challenges that have erupted due to COVID-19.
Impact Report: COVID-19 and Crime
The first impact report submitted to the Commission examines the consequences of recent stay-at-home orders and mass protests for crime rates in major U.S. cities.
A True Second Chance: A Natural Experiment on Diversion in Texas Reveals Big Benefits for Crime, Employment
Are "second chances" in the form of deferrals truly effective? In this post, the Council reviews the research on Texas defendants who have received deferred adjudications of guilt.
Investing in Children Breaks Cycles of Poverty and Criminal Justice Involvement
This post delves into the intergenerational effects of anti-poverty programs and how these efforts could impact the criminal justice system.
Changing Police Recruitment Messages Attracts a Larger and More Diverse Applicant Pool
Research shows that when recruiting candidates for law enforcement, messaging is key. The Council reviews data demonstrating the changes in messaging that can build a wider, more diverse pool of applicants.
Washington Post Partnership: Race in America
DeRay Mckesson, co-founder of Campaign Zero, and Charles Ramsey, former police chief in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, discuss the meaning of defunding the police and the role of law enforcement in society.
Council Perspectives: Police and Communities
The Council on Criminal Justice (staff, Board of Trustees, and members) share their thoughts on law enforcement and their role in our communities.
Facing COVID-19 in the Community
Facing COVID-19, a series of Council on Criminal Justice web events, features leaders on the front lines of protecting public safety, public health, and justice as the criminal justice system responds to the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 and Corrections: Challenges and Strategies
Leaders of three corrections systems discussed the variety of challenges they face in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails.
Facing COVID-19 in the Courts
The Council convened a panel of leaders from across the justice system to examine the challenges facing COVID-19.
Public Safety in a Public Health Crisis
Police leaders spoke with the Council on Criminal Justice during this web event about community cooperation and personal responsibility amongst law enforcement.
Leadership Summit
On October 17, the Council on Criminal Justice and Arnold Ventures convened 200 top leaders, thinkers and doers from across the criminal justice and policy field to explore the key forces and trends that are shaping the criminal justice reform landscape today.
Bleeding Out: Strategies to Reduce Violence
CCJ hosted a conversation between leaders in the criminal justice space to discuss the most effective ways of minimizing violence in our communities.