Research & Evaluation Projects
JIRN conducts and supports rigorous, nonpartisan research on pressing criminal justice issues. We work with local, state, and federal agencies on research and evaluation projects that help decision-makers, practitioners, and researchers navigate complex challenges with data-driven insights.
Current Projects
Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI)
JIRN, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with funding from the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART Office), carried out the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI). SVPI is designed to provide a summary of the current state of the research to advance implementation of sexual violence prevention policies and practices by building on the existing literature developed under the Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning Initiative (SOMAPI).
Project activities include updating and expanding on the SOMAPI literature, incorporating current and emerging research, developing new literature reviews and briefs on additional contemporary topic areas, and inventorying sex offender management practices and prevention efforts. Further, the project will develop recommendations for the SMART Office on identified gaps and needs in research and practice, and how to leverage coordinated strategies and funding to address them.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at kcole@jirn.org.
Survey of State Parole Agency Reentry Services (SSPARS)
Conducted in collaboration with the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), the Survey of State Parole Agency Reentry Services (SSPARS) is a groundbreaking initiative designed to capture comprehensive data on the range of reentry services provided by state parole agencies across the country. The purpose of this project is to develop, test, and administer the SSPARS instrument and generate national- and state-level statistics on the types of treatment programs, housing and employment assistance, and other reentry services received by adults on parole supervision in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
This project is funded through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this Web site (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).
Past Projects
Bridging the Gap in Victim-Related Research to Practice
JIRN, in partnership with the National Center for Victims of Crime and the Urban Institute, and with funding from the Office for Victims of Crime, carried out a project to identify causes of, and ways to close, the gap in victim-related research-to-practice. Project activities included: conducting a comprehensive literature review of prior efforts to bridge the research-to-practice gap in victim-related research to practice; surveying a broad array of researchers and practitioners to obtain their assessments of the barriers to bridging the gap and ways to overcome these barriers; conducting a series of case studies on current initiatives designed to address the research-to-practice gap in crime victim services or related fields; and developing a series of recommendations to OVC for ways to bridge the victim-related research to practice gap.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Estimating the Financial Costs of Crime Victimization
Despite reductions in U.S. crime rates in recent decades, crime victimization continues to be a pressing problem with enormous societal costs. Currently available national estimates are in the hundreds of billions of dollars each year equivalent to between two percent and six percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. This project, conducted by the Justice Information Resource Network (JIRN) in partnership with the Urban Institute (Urban) and the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), is an assessment of the field of cost of victimization research. The product is a menu of recommendations for future research studies and practitioner tools to advance the field. One objective of the project was to keep the focus squarely on the victims, and consider what information is most needed by those who serve them. Relatedly, another objective was to recognize that even if the proximate victim is a business, the government, or non-profit organization, individuals still suffer.
Given the victim-centered focus, the project team conducted several primary data collections, including focus groups and surveys, to obtain input from victims and various practitioner groups about their experiences and needs. The project team also re-framed the taxonomy of victimization costs pioneered and revised by Cohen over the years (Cohen, 2005, e.g.) from the perspective of various practitioner users based on who covers different costs and added factors that may change cost estimates. The project team also conducted a literature review that consists of two major sections: how costs of victimization are estimated, and estimation methods and data sources concerning the incidence, prevalence, and concentration of victimization.
The data collection activities and literature review, combined with extensive input from an advisory board of experts throughout the project, inform the menu of recommendations proposed in Volume III. These focus on topical areas where more information is needed; methodological recommendations to improve estimates; and practitioner resources and tools to help disseminate research developments, assist in calculating local estimates, and better equip practitioners to communicate and use victimization cost estimates effectively in the field.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Project Documents
Exexutive Summary. (December 2018)
Final Report. (December 2018)
Evaluation of Domestic Violence Housing Programs in DC
JIRN conducted an assessment of housing programs for domestic violence and crime victims in Washington DC. The housing programs are funded by the District of Columbia’s Office of Victim Services. The goals of the project were twofold. First, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, JIRN explored common performance measures, process standards, and goals for each of the four housing programs. The second goal was to utilize the information gathered through the evaluation to gain a better understanding of the extent to which these housing programs fit together to provide a continuum of housing services to victims of crime in the District of Columbia.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Factors Related to Parole Violations and Revocations
JIRN received funding from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to coordinate a multi-state assessment of parole revocations and violations. The goal of the project was to provide policymakers in selected states with specific information about the reasons for offender violations and recommendations for reducing the number of violators returned to incarceration. After issuing a solicitation to state Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) and reviewing their proposals, BJS and JIRN awarded funds to five states (Maine*, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming) to gather data and information on parole practices in their states. The SACs were asked to collect data on activity that occurred for up to 24 months after the offender was placed on parole, or as of December 31, 2008 (whichever was later). In addition, the SACs were asked to review and analyze information regarding the policies, procedures, and practices related to parole revocation and sanctioning technical violators in their states. Using information collected from the qualitative and quantitative analyses, the SACs were also asked to produce a report describing the factors related to violations and revocations of parolees.
* While Maine abolished parole in 1976, probation often acts as de facto parole. Therefore, Maine gathered data on probation practices for this project.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Project Documents
An Analysis of Probation Violations and Revocations in Maine Probation Entrants in 2005-2006. (December 2010)
Parole Revocation in New Mexico. (December 2010)
Oregon Parole/Post-Prison Revocation Study. (December 2010)
Factors Related to Parole Violations and Revocations: Analysis of the Utah Parole System and Outcomes. (December 2010)
Improving State Criminal History Records Through Analysis
From 2005-2010, JIRN worked with the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) on a project designed to improve state criminal history records. The project allowed State Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) to develop the capacity to obtain and analyze their states’ criminal history records or, in the case of SACs that already had this capacity, to participate in coordinated studies of key topics of interest to state justice decision-makers. SACs provided feedback to their state criminal history repositories on errors in the data discovered as the analyses were undertaken. This ongoing process of analysis and correction of data in the files helped to improve the overall quality of the data in the criminal history records.
The first project involved SACs in nine states (Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah) studying sex offender recidivism using the criminal history records data. The second project involved six SACs (Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, and Utah) using criminal history records to compile profiles of drug offenders in their states. The third project involved five SACs (Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, and New York) using criminal history records to describe the processing of felony cases in their states.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Project Documents
Improving State Criminal History Records:Recidivism of Sex Offenders Released in 2001
Indicators of Sex Trafficking in Online Escort Ads
Law enforcement and prosecutors have long used online escort advertisements to identify sex trafficking victims and investigate cases. Investigators have used and shared several indicators with each other in practice over the years, but these indicators have not been empirically tested for predictive power to support investigative decisions or the use of ads as evidence in court. This study has two objectives: examine whether there are indicators that can differentiate escort ads related to sex trafficking from ads for consensual, non-trafficking sex work and if so, determine which indicators are most likely to predict whether the ad represents a trafficking case. The goal is to create guidance investigators can use to increase precision in victim identification and help focus limited investigational resources on ads more likely to be associated with trafficking.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Measuring Success in the Criminal Justice System’s Response to Domestic/Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, And Stalking : A Pilot Project
In 2020, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) 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 Information Resource Network (JIRN), 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. 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.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Prosecuting Trafficking in Persons Cases: An Analysis of Local Strategies and Approaches
JIRN, in partnership with the National District Attorneys Association and with funding from NIJ, is conducting a study to identify promising state and local responses to TIP in general, and assess the effectiveness of promising strategies, approaches, and tools being used to investigate and prosecute TIP cases. Phase I of the proposed study will involve surveying district attorneys across the country regarding their use of promising practices for TIP cases. The survey will provide information regarding the existence and use of various state statutes addressing TIP; data on TIP cases investigated and prosecuted; and initiatives undertaken to address TIP. Phase II will feature in-depth analysis of TIP cases in four jurisdictions.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Seeking Alignment between Evidence-Based Practices and Jail-Based Reentry Services in the District of Columbia
JIRN, in conjunction with the Moss Group and funded by the DC Criminal Justice Coordinator Counsel (CJCC), conducted a quantitative and qualitative analysis of custodial populations in DC DOC facilities for the purpose of ensuring that those facilities are maximizing the potential for utilization for effective reentry practices and opportunities to support returning citizens, ultimately leading to reductions in recidivism. The project included an assessment of the custodial population as well as focus groups with stakeholders, inmates and families of inmates will provide in-depth information on stakeholders’ perceptions and experiences of programs and services in DC.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Smart Pretrial Demonstration Initiative
JIRN is working with the Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI) to provide research services for the BJA-funded Smart Pretrial Demonstration Initiative (SPDI). The SPDI supports local agencies in implementing risk assessment, supervision, and diversion strategies with their pretrial populations to enhance public safety and decrease costs. JIRN will be helping the three pilot sites (the state of Delaware; Denver City and County; and Yakima County, WA) develop indicators to assess their performance and will be assessing the overall performance of the initiative.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
Victim Legal Network for the District of Columbia (VLNDC)
JIRN was the research partner for a project funded by the Office of Justice Program’s Office for Victims of Crime to develop a Victim Legal Network for the District of Columbia (VLNDC). JIRN worked with the District’s Office of Victim Services (OVS) and the Network for Victim Recovery (NVRDC). The goal of the project was to expand the capacity of District service providers to provide legal education and services on an array of legal issues for victims of any type of crime. JIRN conducted a needs assessment of legal services and victim legal needs in DC, and produced a literature review on assessment of legal services.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.
What Constitutes Success? Evaluating Legal Services for Victims of Crime.
The field of crime victim legal services has been identified as a priority area of victim services by OVC. However, the field of victim legal services lacks a clear, unified conceptual framework and theory of change defining what constitutes “success” in delivering these services. Developing these core resources provides essential grounding for evaluation across all forms of victim legal services.
The first phase, conducting a formative evaluation and evaluability assessment, has been completed. The partners are currently planning the second and third phases, process and outcome evaluations.
This project, led by the Justice Information Resource Network, was a collaborative partnership with the leading practitioner organization the National Crime Victim Law Institute, subject matter experts across multiple areas of victim legal services, and three local victims’ rights legal clinics: Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, the Oregon Crime Victims Law Center, and the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center.
For more information about this project, please contact Susan Howley at showley@jirn.org.