15PBJA21GK04348JRIX

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center requests $4.4 million from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to assist up to two states to pursue a Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) process. JRI is a data-driven approach that helps states identify and respond to system-spanning criminal justice questions through data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and a comprehensive review of justice policies, practices, and outcomes. Through JRI, states identify drivers of criminal justice resource consumption, realign those resources to improve public safety and recidivism-reduction outcomes, and enhance overall system performance.

Since March 2020, state and local justice systems have been dramatically destabilized. Crime data trend lines have veered across the charts, and states must now recalibrate their projections to create responsive plans. The contours of states' new normal are neither fully known nor completely fixed. JRI is a tested process to address these needs simultaneously through a rigorous, comprehensive effort that provides a full picture of the demands being made of states' justice systems and possible solutions. Critically, JRI engages leaders from all branches of government—and stakeholders from across and outside the justice system—to arrive at consensus-based solutions.

The CSG Justice Center will provide intensive support to state governments pursuing JRI by increasing familiarity with and assessing readiness for JRI; providing up to two new states with Phase I technical assistance, including state-specific analyses of criminal justice trends and additional data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and the development of policy options that aim to reduce recidivism and crime; providing up to two new states with Phase II technical assistance to effectively implement policies and programs; administering Phase II subaward implementation grants in up to two states; and collecting data from Phase II states to determine and monitor the effectiveness of the implemented policies, programs, and reinvestments. In each state, the CSG Justice Center will provide publications that summarize the JRI project; deliver comprehensive presentations that reflect data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based solutions; a communications plan that includes a face-to-face video; a comprehensive implementation plan; and more.

Since helping to spearhead JRI, the CSG Justice Center has worked with over 30 states. The CSG Justice Center's JRI team includes well-seasoned staff who have facilitated a JRI process successfully year over year and borrow from their depth of experience across states.

The Council Of State Governments

THIS PROGRAM FACILITATE STATES' USE OF THE DATA-DRIVEN JUSTICE REINVESTMENT PROCESS TO EXAMINE POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND OUTCOMES ACROSS THEIR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. WITH ONGOING TTA, STATES CAN DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO REDUCE CRIME, CUT RECIDIVISM RATES, AND SHIFT RESOURCES TO MORE COST-EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGIES. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO ASSESS THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE EFFORTS AND BUILD STATES' CAPACITY TO CONTINUE MONITORING, ASSESSING, AND IMPROVING THEM. BJA PROPOSES TO SUPPORT AND ASSESS OUTCOMES IN STATES THAT WANT TO USE THE JRI PROCESS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES. BJA ANTICIPATES COMPETING AND MAKING AWARDS IN THE FOLLOWING TWO CATEGORIES. EACH CATEGORY HAS SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES: CATEGORY 1: TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TTA) SUPPORT CATEGORY 2: POLICY ASSESSMENT

16.827 - Justice Reinvestment Initiative

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) [DOJ - OJP]

Lexington, Kentucky 40511 United States

Single Zip Code

BJA FY 21 Justice Reinvestment Initiative: State-level Training and Technical Assistance Program (O-BJA-2021-08001)

Termination This cooperative agreement was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 09/30/25 to 09/30/26 and the total obligations have increased 100% from $6,225,000 to $12,450,000.