Examining Police Reforms in New Jersey: Findings from a Multimethod, Multiyear Evaluation

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

The implementation of police reforms to enhance police accountability and reduce the use of force has gained extensive momentum. Many of these measures have been enacted at the state level, including in the State of New Jersey. Several statewide mandates were implemented in 2021 through the Office of the Attorney General, including revisions to use of force policy, mandatory use of force training, and systematic data collection on use of force impacting more than 500 police departments. Researchers from the National Policing Institute and the University of Cincinnati will present the methods and findings from a multi-year, multi-method evaluation of the implementation and impact of these reforms.

This panel will provide critical insights from one of the most extensive known evaluations of statewide police reform, highlighting the findings across three papers focused on (1) a series of surveys assessing the impacts of de-escalation and peer intervention training on officer attitudes, (2) multivariate analyses measuring changes in officer behavior in the field, and (3) qualitative and quantitative perceptions of the implementation of the reform package.

Sub Unit

• Area VI. The Criminal Justice System / 43. Police Strategies, Interventions, and Evaluations

Individual Presentations

• The Impacts of Statewide De-escalation and Peer Intervention Training on Officer Attitudes, Perceptions, and Skill Use - Hannah McManus, National Policing Institute; Ryan T. Motz, University of Cincinnati; Gabrielle Isaza, National Policing Institute

• Examining Police Reforms in New Jersey: Impacts on Use of Force, Injuries, and Complaints - Ryan Fisher, National Policing Institute; Nicholas Corsaro, University of Cincinnati; Gabrielle Isaza, National Policing Institute

• Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Statewide Police Reform - Gabrielle Isaza, National Policing Institute

Discussant

• Colby Dolly, National Policing Institute

Organized by a Division or external group?

National Policing Institute