On Thursday, November 9, 2023, the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) and the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, with support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), debuted the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) website.
The new website serves as the central information hub for JRI efforts across the United States and a key resource for agencies and organizations seeking to advance fair, efficient, and proven criminal justice strategies. In addition to information on participating states and their JRI outcomes, it offers an interactive state project map, a comprehensive list of JRI-driven policies implemented across states, and steps for launching a new JRI effort.
States currently face complex challenges in their efforts to protect public safety, reduce recidivism, respond to the unique needs of individuals returning to communities from jail and prison, and improve services for victims of crime. To overcome these hurdles, state leaders can partner with experts through JRI to advance their efforts, including:
- Conducting agency-spanning data analysis
- Developing and implementing data-driven, tailored solutions to address complicated criminal justice challenges
- Maximizing resources to achieve stronger and safer communities
State leaders and agency officials interested in JRI may formally request technical assistance to determine the state’s readiness, including the capacity to collect, share, and analyze data across key points in the criminal justice system.
“Forty-four states and 15 years later, we know the JRI process works. We’re excited to share these results with states through this website and look forward to working with states interested in creating stronger, safer communities.” – Len Engel, CJI Director of Policy & Campaigns
Through JRI, states have averted costs or saved more than $3.2 billion cumulatively, allowing states to invest hundreds of millions in effective supervision and treatment programs to make communities safer, with each state having the flexibility to determine how to direct these savings to achieve its public safety goals. It is projected that savings will grow to over $4 billion by 2024 as a result of JRI.
BJA plans to continue growing the website as more resources and research become available from current and upcoming initiatives.
For more information about using JRI in your state:
Contact Len Engel, Esq.: lengel@cjinstitute.org
Interested in knowing more about CJI’s history of partnering with states across party lines to implement the JRI process? Visit CJI’s JRI webpage to learn more.
View the JRI website press release.