Sharing Lessons of Failure in Criminal Justice Innovation

The Center for Court Innovation (CCI) has engaged in a multi-faceted policy inquiry designed to identify and share lessons from failed criminal justice reform efforts. One key finding of this work is that an inability to talk candidly about failure has had a debilitating impact on criminal justice, creating an environment that devalues the expertise of criminal justice officials and stifles new ideas. The goal of the Trial and Error Initiative is to foster an honest dialogue about reform and give criminal justice officials the knowledge and tools they need to avoid making the same mistakes as their predecessors. In the next phase of the project, the Center for Court Innovation will: 1) create a book of first-person narratives about failure, leadership, and criminal justice reform; 2) research and write two papers that highlight key lessons for the next generation of reformers; 3) organize a roundtable devoted to the topic of failure and criminal justice innovation; and 4) create a fellowship program to identify and nurture champions who can promote a culture of risk-taking and innovation within criminal justice.

NCA/NCF