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Justice Insights: Conversations with SACs

Justice Insights: Conversations with SACs is a short-form interview series hosted by JIRN President George Shaler. Each episode features candid conversations with SAC members about their latest projects, key findings, and innovative approaches shaping today’s justice research landscape.

Justice Insights: conversations with SACs New episode with Blue Microphone
Report cover showing the Iowa Department of Management’s 2025–2035 Annual Prison Population Forecast, listing authors, publication date, and a note acknowledging the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Episode 13

February 4, 2026 
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Melinda Mattingly from the Iowa SAC, located in the Iowa Department of Management’s Division of Data, Planning, and Improvement. They discuss their recent report, 2025 Iowa Prison Population Forecast. This report presents the State of Iowa’s annual prison population forecast, examining trends in admissions, releases, demographics, and lengths of stay using data from the federal fiscal year. It identifies key drivers of population change, including mandatory minimum sentences, increases in violent offenses, and rising lengths of stay, and outlines policy areas that may influence future prison growth.

Read the report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11355

Title page of a report from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Department of Public Safety. The page includes the Colorado state logo and CDPS logo at the top, followed by the report title: “Firearm Thefts & Recoveries in Colorado, 2019 to 2024,” with the date “October 2025” underneath.

Episode 12

January 13, 2026
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Jack Reed from the Colorado SAC, located in the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice’s Office of Research and Statistics (ORS). They discuss their recent report, Firearm Thefts & Recoveries in Colorado 2019-2024. This report presents the results of an analysis of firearms thefts based on the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Firearms Trace Data.

Read the report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11340

 

Cover page of a report titled “Sheriff’s Management Study” prepared by the South Dakota Office of Attorney General, Division of Criminal Investigation, Statistical Analysis Center. The date “October 2025” is displayed below the title. The design features a blue and white background with yellow horizontal bars at the top and bottom. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation seal appears near the bottom right.

Episode 11

January 6, 2026 
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Kallie Hall from the South Dakota SAC, located in the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. They discuss their report, the Sheriff’s Management Study. This report presents the results of a statewide survey designed to provide sheriffs with a valid basis for comparing office expenditures and resources across the state.

Read the report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11348

 

First page of a research article titled “Illinois K-12 Public School Personnel Readiness for Supporting Student Mental Health.” The page includes the Crimson Publishers logo at the top left, a colorful illustration of a human head with a brain graphic, and text listing authors and affiliations. The abstract and introduction sections are visible, discussing mental health preparedness among school personnel. The layout uses a white background with black text and some colored headings.

Episode 10

December 31, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Jessica Reichert from the Illinois SAC, located in the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. They discuss the recent report, Illinois K-12 Public School Personnel Readiness for Supporting Student Mental Health.Read the report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11343

 

Cover page of a report titled “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Felony Case Processing in New York State.” The design features a dark blue background with yellow horizontal bars at the top and bottom. The top section includes the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services logo and text identifying Kathy Hochul as Governor and Rossana Rosado as Commissioner. The publication date “August 2025” appears at the bottom center.

Episode 9

December 15, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Leigh Bates from the New York SAC about their recent report, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Felony Case Processing in New York.Read the report at : https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11350

Report cover page titled “2024 Felony Convictions Report for Oregon” with a line graph showing declining conviction rates.

Episode 8

December 8, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Kelly Officer from the Oregon SAC about their recent publication, 2024 Felony Convictions Report for Oregon. This report provides an overview of Oregon felony convictions spanning from 2014 to 2024.Read the report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11318

 

Cover page of a report titled “Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) Program 2019–2023.” The subtitle reads “Participant Summary, Post-Program Recidivism, and Cost-Benefit Analysis.” The design features a dark teal background with a gray vertical stripe on the right side. At the top left corner is the official seal of the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Episode 7

December 1, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Ashley Billig and Kaley Horvath from the Wisconsin SAC about their Yearwood Award-winning publication, Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) Program 2019-2023 Participant Summary, Post-Program Recidivism, and Cost-Benefit Analysis.Read this report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11245

 

Cover page of a report titled “Drug Cases Submitted to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science Calendar Year 2024.” The background is dark blue with blurred images of various drug-related items, including pills, powders, and packaging, partially visible at the top and bottom edges. The text indicates the report is produced by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services in partnership with the Virginia Department of Forensic Science. Two logos appear near the bottom center.

Episode 6

November 10, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Baron Blakley from the Virginia SAC about their recent report, Drug Cases Submitted to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science Calendar Year 2024.Read this report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11338

Cover page of a report titled “Criminal Justice Research & Statistics Center: Informing a data-driven justice system” from the Washington State Statistical Analysis Center. The subtitle reads “The Justice Data Warehouse (JDW): The Data Handbook” authored by Vasiliki Georgoulas-Sherry, Ph.D., and Hanna Hernandez, M.A. The design includes a green silhouette of Washington State with data visualization elements, and a collage of images featuring the Washington State Capitol building, landscaped gardens with flowers, and trees. The overall color scheme is green and white, conveying a professional and data-focused theme.

Episode 5

November 4, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Vasiliki Georgoulas-Sherry, Ph.D. from the Washington SAC about their recent report, The Justice Data Warehouse (JDW): The Data Handbook.Read the report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11339

 

Screenshot of the first page of an academic journal article titled “Driving While Broke: The Role of Class Signals in Police Discretion.” It shows the authors’ names beneath the title, the journal header and publisher (Routledge), and the beginning of the abstract discussing how perceived social class cues influence police traffic-stop decisions.

Episode 4

October 27, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Scott Wolfe, Ph.D. and Jed Knode from the Michigan SAC about their recent report Driving while broke: The role of class signals in police discretion.

Read this report at: https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2024.2398543

Cover of a report titled “Addressing Intimate Partner Homicide in Wyoming: A Comprehensive Analysis of Fatalities 2014–2023.” The image features a dark blue illustration of a bowed human silhouette against a textured blue background, conveying somber reflection.

Episode 3

October 9, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Lena Dechert from the Wyoming SAC about their recent report, Addressing Intimate Partner Homicide in Wyoming: A Comprehensive Analysis of Fatalities, 2014-2023.

Read this report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11306

Research brief titled “Sexual Violence in Idaho: Prevalence and Health Impacts.” The page includes a blue header, sections labeled “Key Findings” and “Introduction,” and highlighted statistics noting that 13.6% of Idaho women report experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime. The layout features paragraphs of explanatory text, bullet points summarizing impacts, and a horizontal bar chart at the bottom comparing prevalence rates, all in a clean, report-style format.

Episode 2

September 25, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Thomas Strauss from the Idaho SAC about their recent research brief, Sexual Violence in Idaho: Prevalence and Health Impacts.

Read this report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/10938

Cover of a report titled “Assessing Protection From Abuse Orders in Maine,” published August 2025. The design features a dark blue background with curved graphic lines, the Maine Statistical Analysis Center logo at the top, and the Catherine Cutler Institute logo at the bottom. Text appears in white and coral, with a small note listing the website mainesac.org.

Episode 1

September 20, 2025
In this episode of Justice Insights: Conversations with the SACs, JIRN President George Shaler speaks with Julia Bergeron-Smith and Tara Wheeler from the Maine SAC about their recent report, Assessing Protection from Abuse Orders in Maine.

Read this report at: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/11307