Join the Justice Information Resource Network’s 2026 Virtual Conference on June 9–11, a three-day online event focused on strengthening the role of justice data in research, policy, and practice. The conference brings together justice researchers, analysts, and practitioners for plenaries, interactive discussions, and workshops designed to explore how rigorous data analysis can better inform decision-making in today’s complex justice environment. Attendees will gain insights on topics such as data credibility, transparency, administrative data integration, and strategies for communicating evidence to policymakers and the public.
Draft Agenda
| 1:00 – 1:15 PM | Welcome / Introduction to Event |
| Speakers: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director; Overview of conference goals, theme, and structure | |
| 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM | Keynote: From Data to Decisions: Why Evidence Still Matters in Uncertain Times |
| Speaker: Dr. Alex Piquero, Chair and Professor of Sociology and Criminology; Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar, University of Miami | |
| 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM | Plenary Panel 1 |
| Title: Trust, Transparency, and Credibility: Why Justice Data Matters More Than Ever Focus: Maintaining credibility in challenging environments; Applying national statistical principles in state practice; Protecting independence while staying relevant Composition: Panelists and Discussant |
|
| 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM | Break / Sponsor / Commercial |
| TBD | |
| 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM | Small Group Discussion: Reactions & Conversations |
| Facilitated breakout rooms (8–10 participants); Moderators: JIRN members and staff |
| 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM | Workshop 1 | Workshop 2 |
| Title: From Analysis to Action: How SAC Research Informs Real Decisions Focus: Turning findings into recommendations; Working with agency leadership; What happens after the report. Composition: Panel from SACs or SAAs highlighting policy areas (cost-benefit analysis, recidivism, pretrial data, etc.). |
Title: Communicating Justice Data to Policymakers, Media, and the Public Focus: Translating findings to stakeholders; Creating interest among media and policymakers; Responding to questions and concerns. Composition: Panel with research director, policymaker, journalist |
| 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM | Closing, Day One: Reflections and Book Raffle |
| Facilitators: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director |
| 1:00 – 1:10 PM | Welcome & Reminders |
|
Speakers: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director |
|
| 1:10 PM – 2:10 PM |
Plenary Panel 2 |
| Title: Crime Trends, NIBRS, and Public Understanding in Volatile Times Focus: Interpreting volatile crime trends; What NIBRS can and cannot tell us; Avoiding overstatement Composition: Panelist researchers, Discussant from repository, journalism, or national organization |
|
| 2:10 PM – 2:30 PM |
White Board Activity related to Plenary Panel Two |
|
Title: What Do Decision-Makers Get Wrong About Crime Data? |
|
| 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM |
Sponsor Message, followed by Break |
| TBD |
| 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM | Workshop 3 | Workshop 4 |
| Title: Victimization, Human Trafficking, and What Administrative Data Misses Focus: Limits of administrative data and what gets systematically missed (e.g., sexual violence, trafficking, coercive control); Using survey and administrative data together to fill gaps/improve interpretation; Ways to responsibly report limitations without undermining the conclusions Composition: Panel of researchers working with administrative data, VOCA Administrator |
Title: From Silos to Insights: Data Integration and Warehousing
|
| 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM | Workshop 5 | Workshop 6 |
| Title: Recidivism, Reentry, and Measuring System Performance Focus: What does recidivism tell us/not tell us about system performance; Innovations in reentry/recidivism analysis/methodology; How does choice of measures affect funding/policy; How to brief legislators/policymakers responsibly; Linking recidivism outcomes to fiscal implications Composition: Panel of researchers and a corrections or reentry leader |
Title: Juvenile Justice and Cross-System Data Linkage
|
| 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM |
Closing, Day Two:Reflections and Raffle |
|
Facilitators: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director |
| 1:00 – 1:05 PM | Welcome Back & What to Expect |
|
Speakers: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director |
|
| 1:05 PM – 2:05 PM |
Plenary 3 |
|
Title: Sustaining State Justice Research and Justice Data Capacity in Lean Times |
|
| 2:05 PM – 2:45 PM |
Small Group Discussions: Reactions & Conversation |
| Facilitated breakout rooms (8–10 participants); Moderators: JIRN members and staff; Focus: Sustaining Data Infrastructure; Framing question: If your agency’s core funding were reduced by 25% next year, what would you do? |
|
| 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM |
Break/Sponsor/Commercial |
| TBD |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Workshop 7 | Workshop 8 |
| Title: Dashboards That Actually Get Used Focus: Fostering the successful and long-term use of dashboards using human-centered design and implementation science methods. This presentation will review dashboard recommendations that follow the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) Framework. Two dashboard creators will compare their own dashboards to those recommendations. Composition: Implementation science presenter and two dashboard creators |
Title: The State of Applied Justice Research: Careers, Capacity, and Change |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
Closing Session |
|
Title: Looking Ahead: The Future of Data-Informed Justice |
Tuesday, June 9th
1:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Welcome/Introduction to Event
Speakers: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director; Overview of conference goals, theme, and structure
1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Keynote: From Data to Decisions: Why Evidence Still Matters in Uncertain Times
Speaker: Dr. Alex Piquero, Chair and Professor of Sociology and Criminology; Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar, University of Miami
1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Plenary Panel 1
Title: Trust, Transparency, and Credibility: Why Justice Data Matters More Than Ever
Focus: Maintaining credibility in politically and fiscally challenging environments; Applying national statistical principles in state practice; Protecting independence while staying relevant
Composition: Panelists and Discussant
1:45 PM – 2:45 PM
Keynote: From Data to Decisions: Why Evidence Still Matters in Uncertain Times
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2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Break/Sponsor/Commercial
TBB
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Small Group Discussion: Reactions & Conversations
Facilitated breakout rooms (8–10 participants); Moderators: JIRN members and staff
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Workshop 1
Title: From Analysis to Action: How SAC Research Informs Real Decisions
Focus (SAC-specific): Turning findings into recommendations; Working with agency leadership; What happens after the report.
Composition: Panel from SACs or SAAs with highlighting various policy areas (i.e., cost-benefit analysis, recidivism, pretrial data, etc.).
Workshop 2
Title: Communicating Justice Data to Policymakers, Media, and the Public
Focus (External communication & media): Translating findings to stakeholders/public; Creating interest among media, policymakers, public; Working with the media/policymakers; Fielding and responding questions/concerns
Composition: Panel with research director, policymaker, journalist
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Closing, Day One: Reflections and Book Raffle
Facilitators: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director
Wednesday, June 10th
1:00 PM – 1:10 PM
Welcome & Reminders
Speakers: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director
Plenary Panel 2
Title: Crime Trends, NIBRS, and Public Understanding in Volatile Times
Focus: Interpreting volatile crime trends; What NIBRS can and cannot tell us; Avoiding overstatement
Composition: Panelist researchers, Discussant from repository, journalism, or national organization
White Board Activity related to Plenary Panel Two
Title: What Do Decision-Makers Get Wrong About Crime Data?
2:30PM – 2:45 PM
Break/Sponsor/Commercial
TBD
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Workshop 3
Title: Victimization, Human Trafficking, and What Administrative Data Misses
Focus: Limits of administrative data and what gets systematically missed (e.g., sexual violence, trafficking, coercive control); Using survey and administrative data together to fill gaps/improve interpretation; Ways to responsibly report limitations without undermining the conclusions
Composition: Panel of researchers working with administrative data, VOCA Administrator
Workshop 4
Title: Dashboards That Actually Get Used
Focus: Why some dashboards “get used” and influence decisions and others don’t; What decisions are dashboards designed to inform; What increases the “usability” of dashboards for various audiences/stakeholders; Building trust among data providers; Sustaining dashboards; Avoiding most common misinterpretations of dashboard data
Composition: Panel of dashboard creators and a state agency administrator
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Workshop 5
Title: Recidivism, Reentry, and Measuring System Performance
Focus: What does recidivism tell us/not tell us about system performance; Innovations in reentry/recidivism analysis/methodology; How does choice of measures affect funding/policy; How to brief legislators/policymakers responsibly; Linking recidivism outcomes to fiscal implications
Composition: Panel of researchers and a corrections or reentry leader
Workshop 6
Title: Juvenile Justice and Cross-System Data Linkage
Focus: What do we miss when we analyze youth systems in isolation; Access/use of multiple sources and governance/standardization; How data linkage can inform funding, intervention gaps, diversion, etc.
Composition: Panel of researchers working with juvenile data and practitioner administrator in juvenile justice, child welfare, behavioral health, or education
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Closing, Day Two:Reflections and Raffle
Facilitators: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director
Thursday, June 11th
1:00 PM – 1:05 PM
Welcome Back & What to Expect
Speakers: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director
1:05 PM – 2:05 PM
Plenary Panel 3
Title: Sustaining State Justice Research and Justice Data Capacity in Lean Times
Focus: Justifying funding, Demonstrating Return on Investment (ROI), Maintaining staff capacity
Composition: SAC director, corrections or law enforcement research director, State Administering Agency, Foundation leader or Federal partner
2:05 PM – 2:45 PM
Small Group Discussions: Reactions & Conversation
Facilitated breakout rooms (8–10 participants); Moderators: JIRN members and staff;
Focus: Sustaining Data Infrastructure; Framing question: If your agency’s core funding were reduced by 25% next year, what would you do?
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Break/Sponsor/Commercial
TBD
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Workshop 7
Title: From Silos to Insights: Data Integration and Warehousing
Focus: Data governance issues; Data standardization; Maintaining interagency access
Composition: Leaders of integration efforts
Workshop 8
Title: The State of Applied Justice Research: Careers, Capacity, and Change
Focus: Strategies for developing, recruiting, preparing, and retaining a workforce for applied research settings; Skills needed in 2026 and beyond; Connecting students to applied careers
Composition: Panel of SAC directors; Early-career SAC staff; Academic researchers; Applied research organization representative
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Closing Session
Title: Looking Ahead: The Future of Data-Informed Justice
Facilitators: George Shaler, President & Susan Howley, JIRN Acting Executive Director
Focus: Conference synthesis, participant reflections, next steps for JIRN training, planned TTA, and membership engagement
Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Alex Piquero
Chair and Professor of Sociology and Criminology; Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar,
University of Miami