Improving Criminal Justice, Sentencing and Corrections Policy

In 2014-2015, 46 states enacted some type of criminal justice reform, and the NGA Center continues to support states in their efforts to make their criminal justice systems smarter, fairer, and more cost effective.

The NGA Center is working in partnership with the National Criminal Justice Association on a joint initiative to support system-wide criminal justice reform through the National Criminal Justice Reform Project (NCJRP). The NCJRP, funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation helps states identify and adopt strategies to advance data-driven policies in sentencing and corrections that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, control corrections costs, and improve outcomes for communities. The NCJRP supports planning and implementation of data-driven, evidence-based reform focused on one or more areas of state policy and practice, including:

  • Reforming pretrial release and bail;
  • Improving the reentry process and reducing offender recidivism;
  • Addressing mental health and substance use disorders in justice-involved populations;
  • Safely reducing prison and/or jail populations; and
  • Implementing evidence-based practices, including improving access to data, and strengthening information sharing practices, adopting performance metrics and integrating evaluation.

 

Additionally, the NGA Center periodically convenes multi-state meetings, in-state workshops, and hosts webcasts to help states develop innovative, effective, and sustainable sentencing and corrections practices.

Resources

Related Links

  • Pew Public Safety Performance Project
    The Public Safety Performance Project helps states advance fiscally sound, data-driven sentencing and corrections policies and practices that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control costs.