The Center on Sentencing and Corrections (CSC) provides nonpartisan support to government officials and criminal justice professionals charged with addressing their jurisdiction's sentencing and corrections policy. Using empirical data and evidence-based practices, we identify emerging trends and issues in the field and help stakeholders develop cost-effective strategies for protecting public safety.
Upon invitation, CSC dispatches teams of trained staff and practitioners to help officials assess their needs and develop strategies for advancing reform. Each team comprises a mix of professional backgrounds and skills, knowledge of the substantive issues, and a keen appreciation for the political environments in which criminal justice policy is created. In some cases, the center brings together officials from several states to learn from one another on a topic of common concern, such as how budget constraints affect criminal justice policies and practices. This multifaceted approach is designed to address the numerous and evolving issues and problems facing sentencing and corrections.
CSC's researchers study and analyze state sentencing and correctional programs. They have also developed an archive of national and state criminal justice data to help states better understand how their systems compare. Through independent research, CSC researchers educate policymakers and advance knowledge in the field. We also provide daily news updates from papers around the country and Issues in Brief, an ongoing series of publications that provides clear and concise summaries of timely topics such as the effects of the budget crisis on sentencing and incarceration, drug courts, and pre-release programs for inmates.
Since the inception of the State Sentencing and Corrections Program in 1999—the predecessor to the Center on Sentencing and Corrections—Vera has provided assistance to officials in more than twenty states. Center associates are currently working with policymakers in Nebraska and Illinois which are revising their approach to community corrections and reviewing state sentencing policy. CSC staff have also helped Hamilton County, Ohio, (Cincinnati) evaluate the needs of the county's jail population. In Alabama, the center is assisting officials to implement a new statutory sentencing structure and treatment options for nonviolent drug offenders. In Oregon, the center is providing information on projection models for the state's prison population. In New York, the center is working with policymakers on improving parole practices.
To learn more about how the Center on Sentencing and Corrections at the Vera Institute of Justice can provide assistance for your jurisdiction, contact Alison Shames, associate center director.