ICJIA’s Research & Analysis Unit is committed to advancing justice and informing policy through rigorous research and evaluation. Our latest newsletter, Spring 2025 Issue 18, highlights key initiatives and achievements in the field of criminal justice, victim services, and violence prevention.

This edition features a spotlight on higher education in prisons, which refers to post-secondary education for persons who are incarcerated. In Illinois, these programs are often affiliated with accredited colleges and universities. They offer rigorous academic courses in prisons, in subjects such as psychology, writing, mathematics, theater, and more. ICJIA co-hosted a two-day event with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to highlight the importance of providing education within correctional centers and its impact on student outcomes.

Our newsletter also covers new publications. Notedly, ICJIA’s full process evaluation of select Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) grantees was published this March. The R3 program directs cannabis tax revenue into communities with high rates of incarceration, unemployment, child poverty, and gun injury. This report provides an overview of various R3-funded grantees in Illinois, including their program implementation and operations.

ICJIA research staff also gave several presentations across the State to share critical findings, provide updates to key stakeholders, and publicize our work across different audiences. This Spring, staff shared the results of a research project that examined police officer interactions with persons with opioid use disorder to the Chicago South Side Heroin Opioid Task Force and Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council. Other research staff engaged in a logic model workshop with the Building Recovery, Inclusion, and Dignity for Growth and Empowerment (BRIDGE) Deflection Leadership Team. Staff also presented on the Illinois Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative Overview to the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women and Girls.

To delve deeper into these important topics and stay updated on our work, please click on “PDF version” to download the newsletter.