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Creation of a Prosecution Research Collaborative to Address the Increase in Violent Crime through Prosecutorial Practices to Improve Public Safety and Build Trust

Award Information

Award #
15PBJA-21-GK-04009-MUMU
Funding Category
Competitive Discretionary
Location
Congressional District
Status
Open
Funding First Awarded
2021
Total funding (to date)
$2,205,937

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2021, $999,027)

In the post-pandemic era where violent crime is on the rise, there is a critical need for evidence-based research that can assist in developing, implementing, and sustaining unbiased crime reduction strategies and best practices to build trust within our communities. The National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) and the CNA’s Center for Justice Research and Innovation (CNA) (hereinafter “project team”) will collaborate with prosecutors’ offices experiencing an increase in violent crime to review existing research, determine where further research is needed, and work toward improving and supporting prosecutorial practices to reduce violent crime and build trust within communities.

 

To achieve the stated mission the project team will meet the following objectives:

 

Review existing related research.
Determine where gaps in the research exist as well as areas where further research is needed.
Identify best practices around effective, unbiased crime reduction.
Develop accessible resources.

 

These objectives will be achieved, not only utilizing the project team’s expertise and knowledge in research, training, and technical assistance, but also, through collaboration with diverse subject matter experts who have experience in communities that have been impacted by an increase in violent crime. 

 

The project team’s goal is to provide prosecutors with the knowledge, skill and support they need to reduce violent crime and build trust within their communities. To accomplish this goal, the project team will work together to conduct thorough research, convene a group of cross-disciplinary experts, host executive sessions to address topics around effective and unbiased prosecutorial strategies, manage short-term and onsite research assistance to prosecutors’ offices, provide technical assistance, and develop and disseminate accessible products including publications, issue briefs, online resources, videos, and training to bring awareness to the findings.

 

NDAA is recognized as the leading source of national expertise on the prosecution function and has served as a nationwide, interdisciplinary resource center for research, training and technical assistance since 1950.  CNA is a nationally recognized nonprofit research organization with more than 15 years of experience conducting assessments and providing comprehensive, user-friendly training and technical assistance to law enforcement and other justice system agencies. Together, the project team, along with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and prosecutors’ offices around the nation will accomplish the stated goal of this program and will improve and support prosecutorial practices aimed at reducing violent crime and building trust.

Date Created: December 16, 2021