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Alternatives to incarceration

Try Again, Fail Again, Fail Better: Lessons from Community Courts

April 2011

Change doesn't come easy, particularly within an institution as large and complex as the criminal justice system. Greg Berman, Director of the Center for Court Innovation, offered lessons from several efforts to make reform stick in criminal justice settings. In particular, he focused on the development of community courts — experimental court projects that are attempting to reduce both crime and incarceration in dozens of cities across the U.S. and around the world.

NIJ FY18 Research and Evaluation on the Administration of Justice

Closing Date

NIJ seeks applications for funding investigator-initiated, interdisciplinary research and evaluation projects related to the administration of justice in three priority areas: (1) eyewitness evidence; (2) front-end intervention strategies (diversion and deflection, pretrial notification protocols and court appearance compliance, and justice system-led strategies aimed at young-adult offenders); and (3) enhancing investigation and prosecution (body worn cameras, and jury nullification). Strong applications that address the administration of...

NIJ FY 12 Evaluability Assessments of the Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) Model

Closing Date
As part of a collaborative effort with the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), NIJ seeks proposals to conduct an evaluability assessment of up to five sites that are implementing the Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) model. Results from the evaluability assessments may become a precursor to further research and program development work, lay possible groundwork for other targeted...

NIJ FY 10 ORE Evaluation of the Bureau of Justice Assistance Second Chance Act: FY2010 State, Tribal, and Local Reentry Courts Program

Closing Date
NIJ seeks applications for a multi-site process and outcome evaluation of the State, Tribal, and Local Reentry Courts Program to be funded by BJA in FY2010 under the Second Chance Act of 2007 (SCA). The SCA supports a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from jail and prison into communities and the subsequent challenges communities face as offenders attempt to...

NIJ FY 10 ORE Evaluation of the Bureau of Justice Assistance Second Chance Act Adult Demonstration Projects

Closing Date
NIJ seeks applications for a comprehensive outcome and impact evaluation of the selected adult demonstration projects funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Second Chance Act of 2007. The Second Chance Act of 2007 was signed into law on April 9, 2008, with the goal of increasing reentry programming for offenders returning to their families and respective communities. This solicitation seeks to fund...

NIJ FY 10 ORE Research on Sentencing and Community-Based Alternatives to Incarceration

Closing Date
NIJ seeks applications for funding for research on sentencing and community corrections policies and practices that promote effective and cost-efficient community-based alternatives to jail and prison without jeopardizing public safety. Priority research questions include what policies and practices promote effective and cost-efficient alternatives to incarceration for alcohol and other drug-involved offenders, including those with mental health (i.e., comorbid) issues; and what technological applications and protocols...