Resources

Browse or search our library of research, data, and resources for the latest information on all aspects of local criminal justice reform—from racial disparities to women in jails to mental health.

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COVID Data Analysis Jail Populations June 22, 2021

The Impact of COVID-19 on Crime, Arrests, and Jail Populations

The JFA Institute

Beginning in March 2020, local and state criminal agencies took several actions to mitigate the rising number of people being infected with the COVID-19 virus. To address these concerns, a variety of policies were enacted to reduce the number of persons held in jails. These polices were designed to 1) mitigate the number of people […]

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Community Engagement Interagency Collaboration Racial Disparities October 26, 2021

A Path Toward Safe and Equitable Cities

National League of Cities

In February of 2021, the National League of Cities launched the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force made up of local leaders from across the country to reimagine how they ensure public safety in their communities. Over several months, we held meetings and listening sessions – digging deep into what cities, experts and communities were feeling, […]

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Costs of Jailing

The growth of jails has been costly in many ways.

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Community Engagement Costs Housing

November 22, 2021

Funding Housing Solutions to Reduce Jail Incarceration

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Data Analysis Jail Populations Pretrial and Bail

May 13, 2021

Connection to Care in a Municipal Jail Setting

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Data Analysis Jail Populations Pretrial and Bail

November 19, 2020

Dollars and Sense In Cook County

Innovation Case Studies

Case studies prepared by the Urban Institute show how small-scale innovations in policy and practice are helping to reduce reliance on jail incarceration across the Safety and Justice Challenge Network.

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Implementation Guide

Data Analysis Interagency Collaboration Pretrial and Bail

October 12, 2018

Case Study: Lessons on Front-End Diversion from Deschutes County, OH

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Implementation Guide

Human Toll of Jail Interagency Collaboration Pretrial and Bail

October 12, 2018

Case Study: Pretrial Strategy for Handling Intimate Partner Violence Cases

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Implementation Guide

Data Analysis Interagency Collaboration Pretrial and Bail

October 12, 2018

Case Study: Using the Sequential Intercept Model to Guide Local Reform

Jail Growth

Jail incarceration and jail admissions have grown dramatically since the 1970s. In many parts of the country, the growth continues unabated.

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COVID Data Analysis Jail Populations

June 22, 2021

The Impact of COVID-19 on Crime, Arrests, and Jail Populations

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Jail Costs Jail Populations Pretrial and Bail

May 13, 2021

Removing Barriers To Pretrial Appearance

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Data Analysis Jail Costs Jail Populations

November 19, 2019

Broken Ground: Why America Keeps Building More Jails and What It Can Do Instead

Jail Overview

Local jails are the gateway to the criminal justice system, and a major component and driver of mass incarceration.

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Courts Data Analysis Frequent Jail Users Incarceration Trends Probation Sanctions

May 5, 2022

Trends in Jail Incarceration for Probation Violations

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Data Analysis Human Toll of Jail Pretrial and Bail

September 9, 2020

In the Shadows: A Review of the Research on Plea Bargaining

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Issue Brief

Data Analysis Pretrial and Bail Racial Disparities

December 12, 2019

Civil Rights and Pretrial Risk Assessment Instruments

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse in Jails

Jails have become the “treatment of last resort” for people struggling with mental illness and addiction.

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Data Analysis Human Toll of Jail Substance Abuse

January 26, 2021

Overdose Deaths and Jail Incarceration

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Issue Brief

Data Analysis Human Toll of Jail Mental Health

August 1, 2019

Mental Health: The Legislative Primer Series for Front End Justice

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Issue Brief

Interagency Collaboration Jail Populations Mental Health

May 14, 2015

When Political Will is Not Enough: Jails, Communities, and Persons With Mental Health Disorders (Policy Research Associates)

Poverty and Homelessness in Jail

Jails are often de facto warehouses for people without money or stable housing.

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Data Analysis Homelessness Human Toll of Jail

August 12, 2020

No Access to Justice: Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness and Jail

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Data Analysis Jail Populations Pretrial and Bail

August 26, 2019

Arrest, Release, Repeat: How police and jails are misused to respond to social problems

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Issue Brief

Data Analysis Human Toll of Jail Young Adults

August 1, 2019

Young Adults in the Justice System: The Legislative Primer Series for Front-End Justice

Racial Inequity

People of color—particularly Black people and their communities—suffer disproportionately from America’s overuse of jails.

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Costs Featured Jurisdictions Racial Disparities

April 26, 2022

Population Review Teams: Evaluating Jail Reduction and Racial Disparities Across Three Jurisdictions

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Community Engagement Interagency Collaboration Racial Disparities

October 26, 2021

A Path Toward Safe and Equitable Cities

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Data Analysis Diversion

July 27, 2021

Race and Prosecutorial Diversion, What We Know and What Can Be Done

Results from the Safety and Justice Challenge Network

Interim results from cities and counties participating in the Safety and Justice Challenge show that jail incarceration can be reduced without compromising public safety, and that local justice systems can be made fairer in the process.

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