Read an Article from the National Institute of Justice Journal on Identifying Technology Needs and Innovations to Advance Corrections

    March 30, 2017

    The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in coordination with the RAND Corporation, has released an article as part of NIJ Journal Number 278 titled, “​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Identifying Technology Needs and Innovations to Advance Corrections.” This article explains how NIJ and a team led by the RAND Corporation are collaborating to identify types of technology needs and innovative solutions for law enforcement, courts, and corrections agencies, as part of the RAND Priority Criminal Justice Needs Initiative. RAND's research team includes RTI International, the University of Denver, and the Police Executive Research Forum.

    To delve into the problems being faced and how to solve them, the research team uses a mixed-method process approach, beginning with a literature review on existing and emerging challenges in law enforcement. The team then engages in structured brainstorming with practitioners to further elaborate on challenges and potential solutions, and finalizes the process by prioritizing the needs and potential solutions though small group discussions.

    Following this initial process, the team identified 19 high-priority needs for community corrections and 29 for institutional corrections. The top-tier needs for both groups include improved risk assessment, emergency preparedness, and training to help staff better manage individuals with mental health issues.

    To read the full article and view their initial findings, please click here.