Massachusetts FY 2012 SJS Statistical Analysis Center

The State Justice Statistics (SJS) Program is designed to maintain and enhance each state's capacity to address criminal justice issues through collection and analysis of data. The SJS Program provides support to each state to coordinate and conduct statistical activities within the state, conduct research to estimate impacts of legislative and policy changes, and serve as a liaison in assisting BJS to gather data from respondent agencies within their states.

The Massachusetts SAC, located within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, will use SJS funds to conduct two research projects: 1) to advance the Commonwealth's efforts to develop a statewide report on recidivism rates for all pretrial and sentenced federal inmates, the SAC will lead an assessment of the current state of recidivism in Massachusetts. Specifically, SAC staff will collaborate with researchers, practitioners, and the Massachusetts Sherriff's Association to review and define existing Department of Corrections' recidivism data, definitions and data collection methodologies, staffing resources expended, and technology capacity. SAC staff will work with these groups to develop a feasible plan to implement a statewide recidivism data collection model and standardized quarterly legislative reports; and 2) the SAC will collaborate with the Pew Center on the State's Results First project team to implement a progressive cost-benefit analysis model developed by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. This model will advance the work of the Massachusetts Crime and Justice Commission to study multiple levels of the Commonwealth's criminal justice system including sentencing, county and state corrections, probation, parole, juvenile offenders, cost-effective correctional health care, substance abuse and mental health, and effective reentry of offenders.

CA/NCF