Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Program Oversight, Coordination, and Outcome Assessment Provider

The purpose of the FY 2015 Justice Reinvestment Initiative Assessment Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program is for a national-scope organization to provide program oversight, coordination, and outcome assessment (OCOA) for the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). “Justice reinvestment” refers to a data-driven model that : (1) analyzes criminal justice trends to understand what factors are driving the growth in jail and prison populations; (2) develops and implements policy options to manage the growth in corrections expenditures, generates savings in public revenues, and increases the effectiveness of current spending and investment to increase public safety and improve offender accountability; and (3) measures the impact of the policy changes and reinvestment resources and holds policymakers accountable for projected results.

The OCOA technical assistance provider will assist BJA in overall coordination and assessment of the JRI; provide logistical support for a JRI Steering Committee composed of funding partners and TA providers; provide guidance, in conjunction with BJA, to TA providers to ensure adherence to the fidelity and basic principles of the justice reinvestment model; review recommendations and assessments from TA providers regarding candidate jurisdictions’ readiness for JRI; document and assess JRI activities and outcomes; and make ongoing recommendations to BJA on relevant criminal justice research and ways to continue to improve the effectiveness of JRI.

The Urban Institute will utilize grant funding to create an assessment that will monitor and document the progress that JRI sites make in adopting the JRI model, implementing policies, and measuring outcomes. The Urban Institute will use assessment activities including quarterly reporting, teleconferences with technical assistance providers and site coordinators, and field visits as well as stakeholder interviews. The Urban Institute's assessment will also provide guidance to BJA, technical assistance providers, and the sites on performance measurement, data collection, and evaluation research.

CA/NCF

The purpose of the FY 2015 Justice Reinvestment Initiative Assessment Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program is for a national-scope organization to provide program oversight, coordination, and outcome assessment (OCOA) for the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). Justice reinvestment refers to a data-driven model that : (1) analyzes criminal justice trends to understand what factors are driving the growth in jail and prison populations; (2) develops and implements policy options to manage the growth in corrections expenditures, generates savings in public revenues, and increases the effectiveness of current spending and investment to increase public safety and improve offender accountability; and (3) measures the impact of the policy changes and reinvestment resources and holds policymakers accountable for projected results. The OCOA technical assistance provider will assist BJA in overall coordination and assessment of the JRI; provide logistical support for a JRI Steering Committee composed of funding partners and TA providers; provide guidance, in conjunction with BJA, to TA providers to ensure adherence to the fidelity and basic principles of the justice reinvestment model; review recommendations and assessments from TA providers regarding candidate jurisdictions readiness for JRI; document and assess JRI activities and outcomes; and make ongoing recommendations to BJA on relevant criminal justice research and ways to continue to improve the effectiveness of JRI. The Urban Institute will utilize grant funding to create an assessment that will monitor and document the progress that JRI sites make in adopting the JRI model, implementing policies, and measuring outcomes. The Urban Institute will use assessment activities including quarterly reporting, teleconferences with technical assistance providers and site coordinators, and field visits as well as stakeholder interviews. The Urban Institute's assessment will also provide guidance to BJA, technical assistance providers, and the sites on performance measurement, data collection, and evaluation research. CA/NCF