Culturally Responsive Researcher Network
Impact Through Collaboration
Funded By
Funded By
The Justice Research and Innovation Network (JRIN) is a new collaboration between the Center for Justice Research and the Bureau of Justice Assistance Smart Suite. This partnership combines the Smart Suite’s data-driven approach with the Center’s expertise in community-focused research and practical reform.
We invite you to join us in advancing justice solutions that address real-world challenges. JRIN offers opportunities for engagement across research, training, capacity building, policy development, and community collaboration.
We envision justice systems that are informed by collaboration and grounded in practical solutions. To achieve this vision, JRIN focuses on:
Our research and evaluation capabilities equip partners with the insights and guidance to advance equity. We conduct customized needs assessments identifying reform priorities attuned to cultural contexts. Through our technical assistance services, we provide expert recommendations on research design, methodology, data collection techniques, analysis, and application that align with culturally responsive frameworks. We also support program and policy evaluations to examine their impact across various population groups, which allows our partners to diagnose gaps and expand successes towards a just system.
CRRN builds tools for data exploration, analysis, and exchange that incorporate principles of equity and inclusion. We maintain a nationwide database that maps researcher expertise and community assets connected to justice reform. Our virtual dashboards offer real-time data visualizations for tracking trends and progress. We also work directly with agencies to enhance their data infrastructure, analytics capacities, and information sharing platforms in a responsible manner that empowers historically marginalized groups. With robust data capabilities rooted in cultural competence, our partners gain expanded awareness and sharpened targeting of systemic barriers.
We deliver training, advising, partnership facilitation and other services that expand an organization's ability to advance justice within communities. Our workshops build knowledge around cultural competence, implicit bias, inclusive leadership and other areas that strengthen internal practices. We also guide agencies on incorporating cultural context into their logic models, operations, and service provision. Beyond the agency walls, CRRN connects partners into learning networks for ongoing exchange and growth in applying culturally responsive approaches. We leverage community relationships, amplify resident voices, and mobilize data, research and organizing momentum for reforms centered in racial and social equity. .
CRRN provides individualized guidance and coaching to justice agencies and jurisdictions seeking to enhance their cultural responsiveness and community alignment. We meet partners where they are at in their equity journey, tailoring our support services accordingly along stages of readiness. Technical assistance may involve reviewing policies/practices for bias, identifying priorities for organizational change, providing recommendations on increasing language access, suggesting models for participatory advisory structures with residents, and supporting execution of key changes. We also offer advising connections to a range of resources, including promising programs to replicate, translational research to apply, experts to consult, as well as funding and partnership opportunities that propel progress. By leveraging insights across research, data, organizational dynamics and community wisdom, our expert technical assistance helps partners transform systems.
Jennifer Wyatt Bourgeois is a Center for Justice Research Postdoctoral Fellow. Her research interests include risk and resilient factors associated with children and youth impacted by family and/or parental incarceration, the intersection of race, class, and gender within the criminal justice system, criminal justice program evaluation, and the intersection of criminal justice and forensic science.
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