Improving Juvenile and Adult Justice Systems
According to recent data, the United States has the highest incarceration rate per capita in the world. The human and financial costs of incarceration are prompting reform efforts across the country.
Individuals in every community are affected by systems of juvenile and adult justice, but these systems have a disproportionate impact on many populations, including African-American, Latinx, and Native/Indigenous people. As a nation, we continue to grapple with common challenges including how to eliminate these inequities, support victims, reduce recidivism, and foster rehabilitation and reintegration for those who have been involved in crimes.
Our experts are available to engage with you and your leadership teams to identify evidence, conduct studies, and provide technical assistance to improve juvenile and adult justice systems.
Featured Experts
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Dr. Arena Lam is a senior research associate in the Justice & Prevention Research Center (JPRC). Dr. Lam directs a mixed-methods study funded by the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) to address what works to reduce racial and ethnic disparities among California youth. Findings and tools produced by the project will directly inform the work of the state’s Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) and the Racial and Ethnic Disparities subcommittee.
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Angelia Turner is senior equity lead in justice for the Justice & Prevention Research Center (JPRC). Her work includes directing a project to study structural racism in the justice system and its relationship with health and wellbeing. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this project involves interviews with policy, research, lived experience, and practice experts.
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Ashley Boal is a senior research associate for the Justice and Prevention Research Center. She brings experience directing complex, multi-year projects that rely on collaboration and coordination. She is well-versed in using quantitative and qualitative methodologies and designing and executing mixed-methods projects. She has worked on projects that span content areas, including criminal justice, violence against women, mental and physical health, substance use, and education. Boal is the Co-Investigator for two studies funded by the National Institute of Justice.
Our Work in Action
Identifying and addressing racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile justice
The JPRC and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) are funded by the California Bureau of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to conduct a project to identify what works to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. The study approach will result in four deliverables: identification of juvenile racial and ethnic disparity metrics; development of a dashboard to displaying data at county and state levels; qualitative findings from a review of a sample of counties to identify policies, practices, and interventions that contribute to and/or mitigate such disparities; and a framework to guide future efforts.