Chicago Sees Value of Coordinated Criminal Justice Approach

The marijuana ordinance to be voted on next week represents a remarkable step toward a coordinated criminal justice system. The proposed ordinance would reduce the penalty for small amounts of marijuana possession from a $1500 fine and up to 6 months in jail to a ticket in the amount of $100 to $500...
June 19, 2012

Research Capsule: State of the Science of Pretrial Assessment

Article: State of the Science of Pretrial Assessment (pdf) March, 2011 Author / Publication: Cynthia A. Mamalian, PhD -- Bureau of Justice Assistance Summary: "The most important decision that is made with respect to a newly arrested defendant is whether to release that defendant into the communit...
May 1, 2012

Featured Resource: Cost-Benefit Knowledge Bank for Criminal Justice

A project of the esteemed Vera Institute for Justice, the Cost-Benefit Knowledge Bank for Criminal Justice creates and consolidates resources for conducting economic analysis criminal justice initiatives. Technology advances are making data collection easier and cheaper, enabling evidence-based pol...
April 10, 2012

Research Capsule: A History of Bail & Pretrial Release

Article: A History of Bail and Pretrial Release (pdf) Author/Publication: Timothy Schnacke, et al / Pretrial Justice Institute Summary Bail reform is a work in progress: the origin of pre-trial release pre-dates the Magna Carta (1012 ad)! And it was created to address--what else?--overcrowded jai...
April 4, 2012

Safety in Numbers?

The Atlantic profiled the work of University of Pennsylvania statistician Richard Berk last month. Berk uses statistical prediction models to conduct risk assessment of criminal offenders. Berk’s expertise is being sought at nearly every stage of the criminal-justice process. Maryland is running an...
February 22, 2012