Improving Data Quality and Utility Through Academic-Practitioner Partnerships

• In Event: Turning Administrative Information into Useable Data: Lessons from the Field with the Crime and Justice Institute

Abstract

Academic-practitioner partnerships are crucial for translating criminological research into justice system practice. Long term partnerships may create feedback loops for continued improvement and advancements, especially as related to data quality. However, research on the partnership-building process is limited and certain obstacles such as staff attrition and/or turnover, time constraints, and funding limitations impede the ability to maintain such partnerships long term. Focusing on the mutual benefits for academics and practitioners as related to data quality and utility, this presentation outlines various approaches for cultivating, navigating, and sustaining academic-practitioner partnerships. We will discuss how such partnerships can help improve agencies’ internal data capacity and generate new avenues for the use of justice system data in criminological research.

Authors

• Erica Bower, Crime and Justice Institute

• Mei Yang, Crime and Justice Institute