About
Centering Community in Research
Connecting the University of Vermont with local, regional, and national leaders, we advance community-engaged research methods to address issues at the intersection of public health and the US criminal legal system.
The Justice Research Initiative (JRI) was established in 2019 as an interdisciplinary research group at UVM to support a hub for data-driven social and policy change. JRI serves as the research core for the National Center on Restorative Justice (NCORJ). The NCORJ is a partnership between the University of Vermont, the Vermont Law and Graduate School, the University of San Diego, and the US Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance. The NCORJ was established in 2020 with the purpose of improving US criminal justice practice and policy through education, training, and research.
Research
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Prison Research and Innovation Network
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Despite their scale and impact, prisons are among the least transparent and most understudied public institutions in the country. There is growing recognition of the negative health impacts, community harms, and inequities associated with incarceration. As a result, US prisons have been the subject of calls for further oversight and renewed efforts at transformation. Recognizing the need for research and data to be at the center of these efforts, Vermont is participating in the Urban Institute’s Prison Research and Innovation Initiative (PRII). PRII includes a network of 5 states each committed to using a participatory, data-driven approach to improve metrics on prisons, prompt changes to policies and practices, and hold state leaders accountable for meaningful change.
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Health and Social Inequities
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We need a cross-sector approach to public safety that prioritizes the health and well-being of communities and people. Data are a powerful tool to help bridge organizational silos and identify programs and policies that work to address social inequities and reduce justice system involvement. As part of this project, we are partnering with the Turning Point Center of Rutland VT to investigate how providing access to direct services for people experiencing incarceration, such as substance use disorder treatment and recovery support, promotes healing and strengthens communities.
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Restorative Justice Research
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Restorative justice has been identified as a promising non-carceral approach to accountability, safety, and well-being. However, widespread variation in practice and implementation, coupled with a sparsity of research in the area, has made supporting the effective expansion of these approaches challenging. As part of this project, we are partnering with EJUSA and the Ahimsa collective to develop a community-engaged research approach to identify and address foundational challenges in restorative justice research and build capacity for increasing research in the field.
Education
Statistics for Social Change
Statistics is a powerful science that is inherently interdisciplinary. It is an essential tool in advancing research for helping to identify what works, and what doesn’t, for meaningful social and policy change.
With funding from the National Center on Restorative Justice, we aim to help grow the next generation of justice researchers. JRI supports experiential training opportunities focused on quantitative community-engaged research methods for social change. A particular emphasis is placed on effective communication strategies, inclusive research methods, and building community partnerships.
- Postdoctoral Research Associate (Summer 2024)
- Graduate Research Assistantships (Fall 2024)
- Undergraduate Research Opportunities
People and partners
People and partners
- Abby Crocker
Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics - Kathy Fox
Professor, Department of Sociology - Gail Rose
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry - Sejung Yang
Post Doctoral Associate, Department of Mathematics and Statistics - Abby Moody
Graduate Student, Department of Mathematics and Statistics