Justice Information Resource Network

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JIRN, a national non-profit organization, is a resource center for researchers, analysts, journalists and practitioners of justice research. We provide reputable, nonpartisan research; learning programs tailored for justice researchers and research consumers who want to be informed; and opportunities for peers to meet, share perspectives and learn from one another. With our partners, we conduct justice research. We provide comprehensive analyses of crucial issues and their effects across the entire justice system. We also analyze issues at the State & Federal level, providing thorough assessments of today's pressing societal challenges.

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Annual Statistical Analysis Center Survey: 2022 Results
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2023-07-21) Brick, Bradley T., PhD
This report presents the findings from the 2022 SAC survey administered online between December 2022 and January 2023. Invitations to participate were sent to all 50 designated SACs in each state and the District of Columbia (Texas did not have a designated SAC at the time of the survey), and responses were received from 44 SAC Directors, Interim Directors, or designees.
Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) Director's Manual
(Justice Information Resource Network, 2024-01-01) Justice Information Resource Network
This manual provides new Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) Directors with information about the SACs and the Justice Information Resource Network (JIRN). It includes information about the history of SACs and JIRN, services offered by JIRN, and documents outlining JIRN's policies and procedures.
A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Criminal Justice Success in Responding to Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Crimes: Indicators Matrix
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2022-06-01) Hannah Brintlinger
The Measuring Success in the Criminal Justice System's Response to Domestic/Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalkingpilot project was commissioned by the U.S. Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to research, pilot, evaluate, and recommend outcome measures that OVW grantees can use to measure the success of law enforcement’s (LE) response to domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (VAWA crimes). A full description of that project, including the conceptual framework that guides the work, can be found in the final Conceptual Framework report.This workbook contains the indicators and metrics that were tested and evaluated for recommendation to OVW. It includes both metrics that were ultimately recommended and not recommended at this time. The metrics that are not recommended at this time are not inherently poor metrics, but rather are not recommended due to a variety of factors, ranging from lack of access to the data, lack of tools, resources, and/or infrastructure to collent and report. Given the unique and locally-focused efforts and activities of OVW-funded grantees, we hope this list of indicators and metrics inspires grantees and helps them determine the most accurate and feasible metrics they can collect to demonstrate the impact of their work.
Qualitative research to inform criminal justice policy and practice part two
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 44738) Brownstein, Henry H.
This two-part webinar series features Dr. Henry H. Brownstein and focuses on the use of qualitative research to inform criminal justice policy. Dr. Brownstein is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University. Part 2: Qualitative Methods to Inform Criminal Justice Policy and Practice To contribute to public policy and practice, researchers must participate in what can be called a marketplace of claims where they compete and collaborate with advocates representing a variety of interests, politicians, government officials, practitioners, and even other researchers. This session will include a presentation and discussion of how qualitative research can inform criminal justice policy and practice. Examples will be presented from earlier qualitative studies that have provided information to policymakers and practitioners.
Qualitative research to inform criminal justice policy and practice - Part one
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 44761) Brownstein, Henry H.
This is the first of a two-part webinar series featuring Dr. Henry H. Brownstein, which focuses on the use of qualitative research to inform criminal justice policy. Dr. Brownstein is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University. Session 1: Qualitative Methods for Social Research Social research is intended to help us to conceptualize and analyze our experience of social life so that we can describe, understand, and explain it as it is presented to us in a form that we recognize as empirical reality. Whereas quantitative methods attend to social phenomena as objects that can be measured and emphasize experimentation to eliminate plausible explanations, qualitative studies attend to social phenomena as subjects and emphasize methods that seek meaning in symbolic representations including, for example, words and images. This session will include a presentation and discussion of qualitative methods as an appropriate approach to research considering the historical and theoretical foundation of qualitative research; when and why they are appropriate; specific methods for sampling, data collection, and analysis; and the challenge of validity.
Data for operations I: Program development and performance measurement
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 6/8/2021) Lopez-Howard, Stefanie; Soares, Rafael; Jones, Taylor
This presentation was part of the Justice Research and Statistics Association's Spring Virtual Research Gathering hosted online in June 2021. The presentation by Georgia Statistical Analysis Center staff and the executive director of the Council of Accountability Court Judges describes the development of a funding formula for accountability (problem-solving courts) in Georgia.
A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Criminal Justice Success in Responding to Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Crimes: Executive Summary
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2022-06) Goan, Sarah; Snell, Elisabeth; Lugo-Graulich, Kris; Maryfield, Bailey; Howley, Susan
In 2020, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) funded the Violence Against Women Act Measuring Effectiveness Initiative (VAWA MEI), which is a part of the Catherine E. Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service, and the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA), to develop and pilot test a set of indicators for gauging success in the criminal justice system’s response to the VAWA crimes. Specifically, the purpose of this project was to develop a foundational, research-based conceptual framework that logically connects the interventions undertaken by OVW’s funded grantees to longer-term outcomes experienced by victims.
A conceptual framework for measuring criminal justice success in responding to Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) crimes: Model brief
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2022-06) Goan, Sarah; Snell, Elisabeth; Lugo-Graulich, Kris; Maryfield, Bailey; Smith Howley, Susan
In 2020, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) the funded the Violence Against Women Act Measuring Effectiveness Initiative (VAWA MEI), which is part of the Catherine E. Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service, and the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA), to develop and pilot test a set of indicators for gauging success in the criminal justice system’s response to the VAWA crimes. Specifically, the purpose of this project was to develop a research-based conceptual framework that logically connects the interventions being undertaken by OVW’s funded grantees to the longer term outcomes experienced by victims.1 At OVW’s direction, the project focused specifically on law enforcement’s response to VAWA crimes. In addition, the project identified key outcomes measures that can be collected and reported in a reliable manner to demonstrate the effectiveness of VAWA-funded programs. These recommended measures were rooted in research, generated from existing data when possible, and field-tested by a volunteer pool of grantees. This brief presents both the narrative and visual depiction of the finalized conceptual model.
A conceptual framework for measuring criminal justice success in responding to Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) crimes: Dataset inventory
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2022-06) Goan, Sarah; Snell, Elisabeth; Lugo-Graulich, Kris; Maryfield, Bailey; Maryfield, Bailey
The Measuring Success in the Criminal Justice System’s Response to Domestic/Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking pilot project was commissioned by the U.S. Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to research, pilot, evaluate, and recommend outcome measures that OVW grantees can use to measure the success of law enforcement’s (LE) response to domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (VAWA crimes). A full description of that project, including the conceptual model that guides the work, can be found in the final Conceptual Framework report. During the course of the project, the research team identified several key research questions that would lend precision and insight to high-priority concepts which are outlined in a separate research agenda. This dataset inventory provides an orientation to national and local data sources that OVW grantee sites engaged in law enforcement response activities might use to supplement their own data reporting, or that researchers and OVW could use to explore and track national trends related to these programs: • Supplement performance data reported to OVW; • Answer important local or national research questions about the impacts of VAWA-funded programs on crime incidence and improving victim well-being; and, • To understand important contextual factors that may impact these two objectives.
A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Criminal Justice Success in Responding to Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Crimes: Literature Review
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2022-06) Goan, Sarah; Snell, Elisabeth; Lugo-Graulich, Kris; Maryfield, Bailey; Howley, Susan
The Measuring Success in the Criminal Justice System’s Response to Domestic/Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking pilot project was commissioned by the U.S. Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to research, pilot, evaluate, and recommend outcome measures that OVW grantees can use to measure the success of law enforcement’s (LE) response to domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (VAWA crimes). A full description of that project, including the conceptual model that guides the work, can be found in the accompanying Conceptual Framework report. In the first phase of the project, the research team conducted a review of peer-reviewed literature and practitioner resources to compile a list of measures that have been used to gauge the impact of law enforcement to VAWA crimes. The purpose of the review was to learn which measures have been used previously and to assess their strengths and weaknesses to inform discussions of the measures’ feasibility for grantee use. This review may also help identify gaps in how researchers and practitioners have measured pertinent outcomes. The results of the literature review contributed to the development of and provided the evidence base for a theory of change and logic model, including early identification and refinement of outcomes and measures for OVW.
A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Criminal Justice Success in Responding to Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Crimes: Final Results and Recommendations
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2022-06) Goan, Sarah; Snell, Elisabeth; Lugo-Graulich, Kris; Maryfield, Bailey; Howley, Susan
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), first authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and amended (or continued) through subsequent, develops the nation’s capacity to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (hereafter called “VAWA crimes”). They do so by administering 19 grant programs designed to strengthen services to victims and hold offenders accountable. Four of these are formula programs which OVW distributes to states accordingly, and 15 are discretionary grant programs for which OVW is responsible for creating program parameters, qualifications, eligibility, and deliverables in accordance with authorizing legislation. Each program has specific legislatively mandated purpose areas, such as training, funding law enforcement staff positions, providing victim services, establishing specialized units, and many more. To aid in measuring the effectiveness of these vast efforts, grantees report quantitative and qualitative data to OVW twice per year through a progress report. The data are cleaned and compiled after each reporting period, and summarized every two years into a Report to Congress. The progress reports currently capture a series of outputs (counted activities), such as types of community partners, frequency of meetings, task forces formed, people trained in various topics, victims served (or not), or the number of bed nights provided at transitional housing programs.
Examining the impact of a victim specialist program within a police department in central New York - Infographic
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021) Butler, Shawn; VanDoren, Sarah; Pysnack-Weaver, Patricia; Marganski, Alison
This project relies on quantitative and qualitative analysis to answer the following questions: (1) What does criminal victimization in Cayuga County look like pre- and post-implementation of the Law Enforcement Based Victim Specialist Program in the Auburn Police Department? This includes addressing: Who/what type of crime victims are coming into contact with police, and whether/how this has changed over time; (2) Has the integration of the Victim Specialist in the Auburn Police Department influenced victims' engagement with victim services and/or justice-related processes? This includes addressing: How victims are connected to services (did victims reach out to Auburn police and get connected to the Victim Specialist or were victims referred through Cayuga Counseling Services to the Specialist and police), whether/how number of victims served has changed over time, what services victims are using, whether they have participated in criminal justice proceedings, and whether there are gaps for certain groups in terms of not being served or not using services; and (3) What attitudes/beliefs exist among officers in the Auburn Police Department relating to their role in victim response? This includes gathering tools and working together on research design in preparation for learning about officers' perceptions of crime victims, victim services, and officer roles/responsibilities in assisting victims; preliminary information may be gathered. The approach will include secondary data analysis of crime reports and victim services data to examine victimization and victims who receive services. It will also include planning for future focus group discussions with law enforcement officers in order to gain insights about the agency's culture in terms of law enforcement officers' perceptions of their role in victim response.
Addressing the justice needs of crime victims/survivors: Examining the impact of a victim specialist program within a central New York police department
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021) Butler, Shawn; VanDoren, Sarah; Pysnack-Weaver, Patricia; Marganski, Alison
This project relies on quantitative and qualitative analysis to answer the following questions: (1) What does criminal victimization in Cayuga County look like pre- and post-implementation of the Law Enforcement Based Victim Specialist Program in the Auburn Police Department? This includes addressing: Who/what type of crime victims are coming into contact with police, and whether/how this has changed over time; (2) Has the integration of the Victim Specialist in the Auburn Police Department influenced victims' engagement with victim services and/or justice-related processes? This includes addressing: How victims are connected to services (did victims reach out to Auburn police and get connected to the Victim Specialist or were victims referred through Cayuga Counseling Services to the Specialist and police), whether/how number of victims served has changed over time, what services victims are using, whether they have participated in criminal justice proceedings, and whether there are gaps for certain groups in terms of not being served or not using services; and (3) What attitudes/beliefs exist among officers in the Auburn Police Department relating to their role in victim response? This includes gathering tools and working together on research design in preparation for learning about officers' perceptions of crime victims, victim services, and officer roles/responsibilities in assisting victims; preliminary information may be gathered. The approach will include secondary data analysis of crime reports and victim services data to examine victimization and victims who receive services. It will also include planning for future focus group discussions with law enforcement officers in order to gain insights about the agency's culture in terms of law enforcement officers' perceptions of their role in victim response.
Assessing need among non-fatal gun violence victims - Findings infographic
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021-08) Vincent, Neil J; Robinson, Aileen; Hund, Kevin; Grays, Shaharazad
The Chicago Police Department is currently implementing the Crime Victims Advocacy and Support Pilot Project (CVASP) in three police districts in Chicago. The three districts have high rates of gun violence resulting in hundreds of nonfatal gun violence victims. The CVASP's program goals are: (1) to provide timely trauma-informed crisis services to nonfatal gun violence victims; (2) increase victim participation in the criminal justice system; (3) decrease the severity of PTSD symptoms; (4) improve functioning of nonfatal gun violence victims; and (5) provide community referrals to support victims. This project will apply an exploratory, mixed-method research design to examine the immediate, comprehensive needs of nonfatal gun violence survivors. Analysis of case record assessments completed by CVASP advocates, interviews with CVASP advocates, and focus groups with nonfatal, gun violence victims will allow the project researchers to conduct an in-depth examination of presenting needs of nonfatal gun violence victims. Findings will inform CVASP advocates about the prevailing needs of the victims they are serving and inform program stakeholders about gaps in services provided and potential services that need to be developed. Additionally, CVASP stakeholders will be able to revise their intake/assessment documents to include needs they did not anticipate and understand better the needs they did find.
Annotative Bibliography: Research on the Needs of Non-Fatal Gun Violence Victims
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021-08) Vincent, Neil J; Robinson, Aileen; Hund, Kevin; Grays, Shaharazad
The Chicago Police Department is currently implementing the Crime Victims Advocacy and Support Pilot Project (CVASP) in three police districts in Chicago. The three districts have high rates of gun violence resulting in hundreds of nonfatal gun violence victims. The CVASP's program goals are: (1) to provide timely trauma-informed crisis services to nonfatal gun violence victims; (2) increase victim participation in the criminal justice system; (3) decrease the severity of PTSD symptoms; (4) improve functioning of nonfatal gun violence victims; and (5) provide community referrals to support victims. This project will apply an exploratory, mixed-method research design to examine the immediate, comprehensive needs of nonfatal gun violence survivors. Analysis of case record assessments completed by CVASP advocates, interviews with CVASP advocates, and focus groups with nonfatal, gun violence victims will allow the project researchers to conduct an in-depth examination of presenting needs of nonfatal gun violence victims. Findings will inform CVASP advocates about the prevailing needs of the victims they are serving and inform program stakeholders about gaps in services provided and potential services that need to be developed. Additionally, CVASP stakeholders will be able to revise their intake/assessment documents to include needs they did not anticipate and understand better the needs they did find.
Assessing Need Among Non- Fatal Gun Violence Victims - Original Infographic
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021-08) Vincent, Neil J; Robinson, Aileen; Hund, Kevin; Grays, Shaharazad
The Chicago Police Department is currently implementing the Crime Victims Advocacy and Support Pilot Project (CVASP) in three police districts in Chicago. The three districts have high rates of gun violence resulting in hundreds of nonfatal gun violence victims. The CVASP's program goals are: (1) to provide timely trauma-informed crisis services to nonfatal gun violence victims; (2) increase victim participation in the criminal justice system; (3) decrease the severity of PTSD symptoms; (4) improve functioning of nonfatal gun violence victims; and (5) provide community referrals to support victims. This project will apply an exploratory, mixed-method research design to examine the immediate, comprehensive needs of nonfatal gun violence survivors. Analysis of case record assessments completed by CVASP advocates, interviews with CVASP advocates, and focus groups with nonfatal, gun violence victims will allow the project researchers to conduct an in-depth examination of presenting needs of nonfatal gun violence victims. Findings will inform CVASP advocates about the prevailing needs of the victims they are serving and inform program stakeholders about gaps in services provided and potential services that need to be developed. Additionally, CVASP stakeholders will be able to revise their intake/assessment documents to include needs they did not anticipate and understand better the needs they did find.
Report on the Perceived Needs of Non-Fatal Gun Violence Victims
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021-08) Vincent, Neil J; Robinson, Aileen; Hund, Kevin; Grays, Shaharazad
The Chicago Police Department is currently implementing the Crime Victims Advocacy and Support Pilot Project (CVASP) in three police districts in Chicago. The three districts have high rates of gun violence resulting in hundreds of nonfatal gun violence victims. The CVASP's program goals are: (1) to provide timely trauma-informed crisis services to nonfatal gun violence victims; (2) increase victim participation in the criminal justice system; (3) decrease the severity of PTSD symptoms; (4) improve functioning of nonfatal gun violence victims; and (5) provide community referrals to support victims. This project will apply an exploratory, mixed-method research design to examine the immediate, comprehensive needs of nonfatal gun violence survivors. Analysis of case record assessments completed by CVASP advocates, interviews with CVASP advocates, and focus groups with nonfatal, gun violence victims will allow the project researchers to conduct an in-depth examination of presenting needs of nonfatal gun violence victims. Findings will inform CVASP advocates about the prevailing needs of the victims they are serving and inform program stakeholders about gaps in services provided and potential services that need to be developed. Additionally, CVASP stakeholders will be able to revise their intake/assessment documents to include needs they did not anticipate and understand better the needs they did find.
Examining the Impact of a Victim Specialist Program Within a Police Department in Central New York - Findings Infographic
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021) Butler, Shawn; VanDoren, Sarah; Pysnack-Weaver, Patricia; Marganski, Alison
This project relies on quantitative and qualitative analysis to answer the following questions: (1) What does criminal victimization in Cayuga County look like pre- and post-implementation of the Law Enforcement Based Victim Specialist Program in the Auburn Police Department? This includes addressing: Who/what type of crime victims are coming into contact with police, and whether/how this has changed over time; (2) Has the integration of the Victim Specialist in the Auburn Police Department influenced victims' engagement with victim services and/or justice-related processes? This includes addressing: How victims are connected to services (did victims reach out to Auburn police and get connected to the Victim Specialist or were victims referred through Cayuga Counseling Services to the Specialist and police), whether/how number of victims served has changed over time, what services victims are using, whether they have participated in criminal justice proceedings, and whether there are gaps for certain groups in terms of not being served or not using services; and (3) What attitudes/beliefs exist among officers in the Auburn Police Department relating to their role in victim response? This includes gathering tools and working together on research design in preparation for learning about officers' perceptions of crime victims, victim services, and officer roles/responsibilities in assisting victims; preliminary information may be gathered. The approach will include secondary data analysis of crime reports and victim services data to examine victimization and victims who receive services. It will also include planning for future focus group discussions with law enforcement officers in order to gain insights about the agency's culture in terms of law enforcement officers' perceptions of their role in victim response.
Assessing crime victims languages to enhance victim services - Final report
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021-08) Brockton Police Department; Curry College; Kendall, Rebecca; Stearn, Adam
This project proposes to construct a framework of promising practices for the Brockton Police Department (BPD) to follow in building a Victim Assistance Program (VAP) with a robust language access plan and service provision strategy that provides the greatest benefit to the most crime survivors. This careful construction is essential for long-term operation that will require proof of cost-effectiveness for sustainability. Following an initial needs assessment regarding language access, service provision, and available resources, a two-stage process of literature and case study review will be used by Curry. First, a general review of crime victim advocacy programs' language access plans and service provision will be conducted to determine promising practices. A more targeted review of case studies from jurisdictions similar in size and/or demographic makeup to Brockton will follow with qualitative interviews of other agencies to be conducted when appropriate. The case studies will be pieced together to show the promising practices most relevant to the BPD's VAP structure and the community it serves. Combining the data from both stages, Curry will present examples of well-rounded victim service provision plans using promising practices and robust language access plans that the BPD will use to build a victim-centered outreach and assistance strategy stressing resource maximization and sustainability post-LEV award. While the deliverables from this proposal most benefit the BPD, the project will provide an evidence-based foundation upon which Curry and the BPD can build to create a lasting partnership.
Assessing Crime Victims' Languages to Enhance Victim Services - Infographic
(Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2021-08) Brockton Police Department; Curry College; Kendall, Rebecca; Stearn, Adam
This project proposes to construct a framework of promising practices for the Brockton Police Department (BPD) to follow in building a Victim Assistance Program (VAP) with a robust language access plan and service provision strategy that provides the greatest benefit to the most crime survivors. This careful construction is essential for long-term operation that will require proof of cost-effectiveness for sustainability. Following an initial needs assessment regarding language access, service provision, and available resources, a two-stage process of literature and case study review will be used by Curry. First, a general review of crime victim advocacy programs' language access plans and service provision will be conducted to determine promising practices. A more targeted review of case studies from jurisdictions similar in size and/or demographic makeup to Brockton will follow with qualitative interviews of other agencies to be conducted when appropriate. The case studies will be pieced together to show the promising practices most relevant to the BPD's VAP structure and the community it serves. Combining the data from both stages, Curry will present examples of well-rounded victim service provision plans using promising practices and robust language access plans that the BPD will use to build a victim-centered outreach and assistance strategy stressing resource maximization and sustainability post-LEV award. While the deliverables from this proposal most benefit the BPD, the project will provide an evidence-based foundation upon which Curry and the BPD can build to create a lasting partnership.

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