Research
The Enormous Cost of Parole Violations in New York
The Justice Lab and The Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform (Lippman Commission) released a groundbreaking report uncovering how much New York State and local governments spend on incarcerating individuals for technical violations of parole rules — acts such as not reporting to a parole officer, living at an unapproved residence, missing curfew, or failing drug or alcohol tests.
Journal of Pediatrics Publishes "The Justice System and Young Adults With Substance Use Disorders"
The January 2021 edition of the Journal of Pediatrics — a publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics — featured an article on harm reduction and developmentally appropriate treatment for young adults with substance use disorders. Titled “The Justice System and Young Adults With Substance Use Disorders,” the article was authored by two members of the Columbia Justice Lab’s Emerging Adult Justice Project: Lael Chester, Director of the program, and Selen Siringil Perker, a Senior Research Associate.
NASEM Committee Co-Chaired by Bruce Western Issues Report on Decarcerating Correctional Facilities During COVID-19
On October 20, 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a new study entitled Decarcerating Correctional Facilities During COVID-19: Advancing Health, Equity, and Safety.
Policy
Justice Lab and JLUSA Release NYC Mayoral Race Criminal Justice Questionnaire Results
Criminal justice issues are at the forefront in New York City and nationally. The justice policies NYC’s next mayor pursues and prioritizes will determine the future of safety for our city as well as justice for all of our residents.
Illinois Raise the Age Testimony
Written testimony of Lael Chester and Vincent Schiraldi regarding H.B. 111/133, on legislation to gradually raise the upper age of juvenile jurisdiction for misdemeanor cases
Justice Lab Joins Call to Give Correctional Staff and Incarcerated People Equal and Urgent COVID-19 Vaccine Priority
The Justice Lab joined top university experts in calling on the CDC and states to prioritize incarcerated people and correctional staff in early-phase distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
News
[Press Statement] Columbia Justice Lab Reacts to $100M Biden Budget Request for Youth Incarceration Alternatives
In the budget proposal that the White House released last Friday, President Joe Biden requested $796 million for juvenile justice programs and initiatives for fiscal year 2022, with $100 million to incentivize states to implement community-based alternatives to youth incarceration.
[Press Statement] Vermont Governor, Legislators Should Invest in Emerging Adults Rather than Backing Away from Raising the Age
Columbia Justice Lab issues a statement on Vermont Governor Phil Scott’s recent retreat from groundbreaking youth justice reforms.
[Media Coverage] NY Daily News: Vincent Schiraldi appointed as new Correction Department commissioner
Mayor de Blasio has appointed Vincent Schiraldi as the new commissioner for the city’s Department of Correction, the Daily News has learned. [...]
Events
A Roadmap to Justice Reform: Key Elements of Specialized Courts, Probation and Corrections for Emerging Adults
Building upon a groundswell of voices for change, jurisdictions across the U.S. are seeking new models for the treatment and care of emerging adults (ages 18 - 25) in the criminal justice system.
From Pandemic Reforms to Systematic Change: Bridging Disparities in Probation and Parole by Ensuring Food and Health Access
The pandemic has undeniably exposed the glaring racial and economic disparities that exist within the U.S. Over the past year, low-income people and people of color have faced a perfect storm: disproportionately enduring the impacts of a global pandemic while continuing to endure the disparate treatment within the justice system and high rates of supervision by probation and parole agencies.
Book Talk: A Conversation With Reuben Miller on Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration
Reuben Miller, a chaplain at the Cook County Jail in Chicago and now a sociologist studying mass incarceration, will discuss his new and acclaimed book Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration on Thursday, April 8 at 5:30 p.m. ET with The Reverend Vivian Nixon in a conversation moderated by Bruce Western.