April focus: What’s on our radar screen

During the month of April, we’ll blog about things we’re reading (and watching and listening to) on the subject of criminal justice and cost-benefit analysis. We always want to hear from those of you who are doing this work, but that’s especially true when it comes to this month’s topic. Your comments and suggestions will benefit our growing community of practice throughout the United States and beyond.

For starters, we suggest that you keep an eye on NIJ’s “Research for the Real World” seminar series. On Thursday, April 12, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, Janet L. Lauritsen, professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, will discuss “Violent Repeat Victimization: Prospects and Challenges for Research and Practice.” Given the importance of this work and the complexities associated with estimating the tangible and intangible costs that crime victims bear, we’re looking forward to Dr. Lauritsen’s presentation.

This isn’t the first time we’ve recommended talks in the NIJ series. Last year we blogged about insightful and relevant presentations by Philip Cook of Duke University on “Economical Crime Control,” Yale Law School’s Tracey Meares on “Deterrence and Legitimacy in the Architecture of Law Enforcement,” and Jens Ludwig and Roseanna Ander, of the University of Chicago Crime Lab on “Benefit-Cost Analysis for Crime Control.”

Whenever you see something relevant to others in the field, let us know—we’d like to hear about it. Write a comment below or via our Twitter or Facebook page—or e-mail us at cbkb@cbkb.org.

CBKB 2011 Wrap-up: “Four Questions”

As this year comes to a close, we would like to thank the many contributors to our “Four Questions” series for sharing their perspectives on why cost-benefit analysis is a critical tool for criminal justice reform. Click on a contributor’s name to read his or her “Four Questions” post: Mark Cohen, professor, Vanderbilt University Philip Cook,…

September 28-30, 2011: Innovations in Criminal Justice Summit

The Innovations in Criminal Justice Summit of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) will take place at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL, from September 28-30, 2011. The conference highlights 10 innovative criminal justice practices, including mental health courts, public defender initiatives, and homicide review commissions, among others. On September 28, Jens Ludwig, director…

Four questions for Jens Ludwig

This post is part of our “Four questions” guest blog series that highlights the people and organizations in the growing community of practice around cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and justice. Thanks to Jens Ludwig, McCormick Foundation Professor of Social Service Administration, Law, and Public Policy at the University of Chicago, for contributing to this series. Ludwig…