The DC SAC: Collaboration and Partnerships

• In Event: Learning about Statistical Analysis Centers: Alt-Academic Data, Collaboration, and Careers

Abstract

The District of Columbia Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) is housed within the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). CJCC is an independent agency that serves as a forum for identifying challenges and generating solutions to enhance public safety and the fair administration of justice for District of Columbia residents, visitors and justice-involved individuals. Hosting the SAC within CJCC supports policy applications of the SAC’s research and data analysis, as CJCC members are policymakers and agency heads. The members share their questions and evidence needs with CJCC, and are the key parties for putting research implications into legislation and practice. CJCC’s independence and reputation for objectivity supports take-up of the SAC’s research. These advantages convey in their partnerships with academics. CJCC contracts with independent researchers to develop a continuum of care for District youth; create a collaborative case management practice for crossover youth; evaluate hospital-based violence interrupter services; and conduct focus groups with system-involved and at-risk youth to understand drivers of community violence. The CJCC also work to recruit new staff from universities, not only from criminology departments, but also from sociology, public health, statistics, and law. Applied researchers benefit from the CJCC structure, which tightly marries together research and its policy implementation.

Author

• Niloufer Taber, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council