Services
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center provides a range of services to its members and other policymakers across the country. Staff also offers support to front-line professionals from a wide range of disciplines and to other "change agents" in the community. The types of assistance the Justice Center can make available are highlighted below. The examples of services linked below are not exhaustive, but rather illustrate the range of activities the Justice Center undertake:
Consensus Building/Problem Solving
The Justice Center’s staff and expert consultants provide intensive assistance to state and local policymakers. They analyze complex public safety problems that often require multidisciplinary, bipartisan responses. Using data-driven approaches and thoughtful analyses, staff work with stakeholders to develop comprehensive plans that build on the latest research and lessons learned from other jurisdictions to address these problems.The Justice Center helps state leaders identify ways to use their resources with greater effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability by bringing policymakers, experts, and affected individuals from diverse disciplines and perspectives together to build consensus and develop sound policy options and program designs. Staff also provides guidance during implementation of these recommendations, and evaluates the outcomes of these efforts. The Justice Center connects these state efforts to important work at the community and neighborhood levels.
- Providing technical assistance to Justice and Mental Health Collaboration grant recipients
- Increasing public safety, reducing spending on corrections, and improving conditions in the neighborhoods to which most people released from prison return
- Supporting communities committed to addressing housing issues unique to people with criminal records
- Promoting improved collaboration between corrections and mental health agencies
Learning Sites
The Justice Center identifies "learning sites," jurisdictions either at the local or state level that have made significant strides in implementing an innovative approach to a complex criminal justice problem. Justice Center staff works closely with, and often provides technical assistance to, these sites as they test new practices and address obstacles to effective systemic change. Working hand-in-hand with particular jurisdictions, the Justice Center gains valuable insights that can help advance similar work in other jurisdictions across the country. For some projects, learning sites also provide peer-to-peer technical assistance, in which program facilitators from other jurisdictions can visit the site and exchange information.- Law enforcement/mental health learning sites
- Mental health court learning sites
- Corrections/mental health learning sites
Legislative Affairs
The Justice Center’s government affairs team works to promote the priorities of CSG members and their partners on Capitol Hill and with the executive branch. Legislative services include educating policymakers on complex criminal justice issues and communicating project findings to legislators that can be applied to policymaking and new practices. The team collaborates with experts from a wide range of disciplines and from all branches of government to ensure that policy and legislative recommendations are practical and based on sound data.
The three government affairs project areas are:Media Affairs
The Justice Center’s media affairs staff involves state and local agencies in its national media efforts, which include assisting individuals and organizations in framing a cohesive message, developing press strategies, forming coalitions to support an integrated media plan, and reviewing editorials or other opinion pieces authored by CSG members or partners for print. Staff also connects reporters to resources and spokespeople who can provide context and content for stories. Much of the media affairs work involves engaging diverse partners to promote a unified position or approach related to the Justice Center’s project work and the priorities of its members.Web-Based Learning
The Justice Center develops web-based tools—including online databases, websites, and newsletters—that provide criminal justice and social service professionals access to up-to-date, useful announcements and resources. The online databases record front-line professionals’ experiences in addressing complex policy issues. Site visitors can learn from efforts undertaken by their colleagues to address similar issues, and tailor those approaches to the unique needs of their jurisdictions. Staff track and post information on the Justice Center's websites and e-newsletters on funding opportunities, conferences, relevant media coverage and research, and more. These web tools are also meant to promote a sense of community among practitioners and policymakers and provide opportunities for them to network. All of this material, as well as descriptions of key developments in the field, are packaged and sent to subscribers, at no cost, in regular e-newsletters.- Criminal Justice / Mental Health Consensus Project website
- Reentry Policy Council website
- Justice Reinvestment website
Presentations
Legislators, other policymakers, advocates, and professionals from myriad disciplines often need an expert with a national perspective to conduct briefings and presentations on seemingly intractable public safety issues. The Justice Center’s staff and expert consultants provide a nonpartisan review of the latest thinking and developments in the field. Staff also convenes statewide conferences and other forums that encourage candid debate and the development of meaningful processes for change.Click here if you have questions about: