CJI’s pretrial team partners with jurisdictions nationwide to improve outcomes for individuals and communities. We tailor our approach to meet the unique needs of each state, county, and municipality and use data and research to drive the field forward.
Areas of Work
Risk Assessment & Data Driven Pretrial Release
Developing evidence-based release policies, integrating a pretrial assessment, and validating the assessment can be difficult for jurisdictions with limited resources. CJI’s team of experienced data specialists helps states and counties use their data to implement effective release procedures and verify that pretrial assessments perform accurately and consistently for all groups within the local population.
Pretrial Supervision & Safe Alternatives to Detention
Pretrial stakeholders often want to effectively allocate limited resources by reducing reliance on pretrial detention but are concerned about public safety and court appearance. Backed by research and experience, CJI works with jurisdictions to implement data-driven supervision practices that protect public safety and help people succeed.
Data Capacity, Performance Measurement & Evaluation
CJI has extensive experience collecting and analyzing data from arrest through case disposition, community supervision, and incarceration. The ability to collect, merge, and analyze data across multiple agencies and data systems allows CJI staff to conduct comprehensive evaluations to understand how policies and practices contribute to outcomes, and identify opportunities for improvement. CJI also builds capacity so pretrial stakeholders can use their data to make decisions through performance measure tracking and data visualization.
Training, Stakeholder Engagement & Convenings
A key CJI strength is the ability to work with policymakers, practitioners, and impacted people to bridge the gap between research and practice in the justice system. At our trainings and pretrial events, CJI brings stakeholders together from across the pretrial system to learn about the latest pretrial research, but also to make connections and share insights.
Project Highlights
Funded by Arnold Ventures
Over the past decade, the field of pretrial justice has progressed exponentially. More than ever, jurisdictions are implementing data-driven release practices, establishing pretrial service agencies, and aligning supervision with industry best practices. It’s time to take a step back to understand what cities, counties and states have accomplished, and determine where stakeholders, researchers, and funders should focus their efforts next.
With support from Arnold Ventures, CJI is surveying pretrial stakeholders across the nation to assemble the most complete picture possible of pretrial services in America today.
If you work in the pretrial system, you can help us in this effort by taking the 15-minute survey!
Our partners:
- National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA)
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance through an Encouraging Innovations Grant
Missed appearances consume system resources and can result in compounding legal and financial consequences for the person who failed to appear. Mitigating these results can improve outcomes and reduce racial disparities.
CJI is working with the Tarrant County Criminal Courts to implement promising interventions for people who fail to appear, such as text-message notifications, transportation assistance, and virtual open court sessions. The team is assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of the interventions and will create a plan to replicate it elsewhere.
Our partners:
- The National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA)
- Tarrant County Criminal Courts
- Michael Wilson Consulting
