Roundtable: Strengthening Data and Evaluation Capacity with CVI Organizations: Lessons from Collaborative Technical Assistance

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Sessions

Abstract/Description

Through a cross-organizational partnership, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR), the Urban Institute, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School of Public Health collaborated to build research and evaluation capacity among government and nonprofit organizations delivering community violence intervention (CVI) services across the country. This initiative aimed to strengthen the data collection capacity and infrastructure necessary to measure the efficacy of CVI implementation, supported CVI service providers through individual site consultations, peer learning groups, and advanced training on topics such as reaching high-risk populations and strengthening CVI research methods. Through intensive engagement, we helped organizations develop logic models, establish data collection methods, and identify outcomes in line with their interventions. Peer learning cohorts, such as the Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) learning group, offered spaces for peer exchange and collaborative problem-solving. Lessons learned include the use of logic models to ensure program objectives are aligned with intended outcomes, the importance of early investment in data management and data governance, and the co-creation of evaluation tools. This roundtable will highlight lessons learned from technical assistance and capacity-building efforts, offering reflections on what it takes to support sustainable evaluation practices in the CVI field.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Chair

• Mikaela Rabinowitz, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

Discussants

• Nehali Vishwanath, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

• Daniel Webster, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, Bloomberg School of Public Health

• Jesse Jannetta, The Urban Institute

• Storm Ervin, The Urban Institute