Latest Reports from the Justice Policy Center

This presentation summarizes findings from the Norms and Networks of Latino Youth project, funded by OJJDP. Youth in a small neighborhood were surveyed about their own pro-social and delinquent behaviors and their social networks. Survey respondents named 20 close contacts and answered questions about those individuals. Using social network analysis methods, we examined both personal networks and individual delinquency and the whole network (comprising all youths’ overlapping contacts), to analyze group behaviors related to co-offending and peer influence. The findings are relevant to developing appropriate interventions for delinquency and shed light on the efficacy of neighborhood-based interventions.

Collecting DNA from Juveniles examines the laws, policies, and practices related to juvenile DNA collection in the United States. States have increasingly required juveniles - mostly those adjudicated delinquent but also some arrestees - to submit DNA samples for analysis and inclusion in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the FBI-operated national database. The report describes the issues encountered during the implementation of these laws, including the coordination challenges between the state crime labs and juvenile justice agencies, and discusses the challenges that researchers and practitioners face in assessing the effects of juvenile DNA collection on public safety outcomes.

Using qualitative and quantitative data, this report discusses the history, performance, and progress of the District of Columbia Frequent Users Service Enhancement Pilot Program, implemented by the Corporation for Supportive Housing. As a supportive housing reentry program focused on disabled individuals with histories of homelessness and incarceration, the program intended to provide housing and coordinate services for 50 "frequent users" leaving the city jail. Over the first year of operations, the program successfully identified and targeted more than a dozen frequent users and linked them to supportive housing through effective cross-system coordination. Policy implications of the evaluation findings are discussed.

The goal of this evaluation was to understand the planning, implementation, and execution of the Put Families First program as it is administered by Functional Family Therapy (FFT) in the District of Columbia (D.C.). The primary question is whether FFT has been implemented with high fidelity and quality, and whether there are local factors or circumstances that either facilitate or interfere with its reliable implementation. The current implementation evaluation shows promise for the effective implementation of FFT for youth at risk of out-of-home placement in D.C. For those who do complete the program, implementation is generally close to program benchmarks and showing improvement.

The Jail Sexual Assault Prevention project tests the application of violence reduction strategies informed by situational crime prevention (SCP) theory within three jail facilities. The project collected and synthesized data from multiple sources in order to identify and implement interventions to address each facility’s unique safety challenges: an officer tour system in Site A, a recording camera system in Site B, and crisis intervention training at Site C. The brief provides summary findings on the safety impacts and cost effectiveness of each intervention and discusses the utility of a SCP framework in addressing correctional violence.

When the Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized in 2005, it mandated that states receiving STOP funding provide free sexual assault forensic exams (SAFEs) to sexual assault victims and allow victims to receive exams without having to report the assault to law enforcement. States were given until January 5, 2009, to fully comply with the mandate. This presentation includes background information on the reauthorization and the study design, along with preliminary findings from a review of statutory and administrative codes on SAFE payment practices and from national surveys administered to state STOP administrators, compensation administrators, and state coalitions.

This report evaluates the use of cameras to reduce car-related crimes in Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) commuter parking facilities. Using a randomized controlled trial design, digital motion-activated cameras (akin to red light cameras) were installed at the exits of 25 Metro parking facilities, which were matched with 25 parking facilities serving as controls. Findings suggest that the cameras were not effective in reducing crime, and no evidence of displacement was found. Researchers concluded that cameras might have yielded their intended crime control impact if they had real-time surveillance capabilities and were fully employed for investigative purposes.

State and local governments often struggle to implement evidence-based programs because of high upfront costs, even when research shows these programs to be cost-effective in the long run. Social impact bonds (SIBs) are an innovative way of attracting private funding for program implementation by offering a financial return to investors. But can social impact bonds really be used in the US to increase evidence-based programming? In this presentation, we present some key ideas behind social impact bonds, discuss challenges in getting them off the ground, and show how ongoing Urban Institute work can be used to establish the SIB market.

This report evaluates the use of cameras to reduce car-related crimes in Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) commuter parking facilities. Using a randomized controlled trial design, digital motion-activated cameras (akin to red light cameras) were installed at the exits of 25 Metro parking facilities, which were matched with 25 parking facilities serving as controls. Findings suggest that the cameras were not effective in reducing crime, and no evidence of displacement was found. Researchers concluded that cameras might have yielded their intended crime control impact if they had real-time surveillance capabilities and were fully employed for investigative purposes.

This white paper discusses how state efforts to reduce the growth of prison populations can affect local criminal justice systems. Although these state strategies – which typically focus on policies governing sentencing, inmate release and transfer, and supervision violation response - have the potential to greatly benefit both the offender and the community, they can strain the resources and capacity of jails, supervision officers, and community-based providers. Likewise, local actors may respond to these strategies with policies and practices that conflict with state prison population management efforts. Recommendations on how state and local stakeholders can avoid these unintended outcomes are provided.