The Justice Reinvestment Initiative is a project cosponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Public Safety Performance Project of the Pew Center on the States. Participating jurisdictions

• collect and analyze data on factors that increase corrections populations and costs;
• identify and implement changes that address costs and achieve better outcomes; and
• measure the fiscal and public safety impacts of those changes.

The Justice Reinvestment Initiative provides technical assistance and financial support to states, counties, cities, and tribal authorities that seek to reform their criminal justice systems using a data-driven approach. The initiative has two phases:

• Phase I involves engaging leaders and key stakeholders, conducting a comprehensive analysis of criminal justice data to identify the key factors that contribute to the corrections population growth, and developing policy proposals to reduce costs and improve public safety.
• Phase II supports the implementation of policy proposals identified in Phase I. This includes helping relevant agencies implement the policies and providing limited funding and technical assistance to advance the jurisdiction’s goals and desired outcomes. It also includes measuring the fiscal and public safety impact of the policies implemented.

For more information about how to apply to and participate in the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, visit the BJA website or contact Alison Shames at Vera.

Read about Vera’s justice reinvestment work in Delaware, Alabama, and in Louisiana.