BJS FY 15 2015 Visiting Fellows: Criminal Justice Statistics Program

The overall purpose of this program is to address substantive, methodological, and analytic issues to enhance or inform BJS statistical programs; to support the scholarly use of BJS data collections, expand the body of policy-relevant research that uses these data, in order to further knowledge about and understanding of the operation of the criminal justice system. BJS Visiting Fellows conduct projects that aim to enhance understanding of the operation of the criminal justice system and contribute to improving BJS's statistical programs. The BJS Visiting Fellow Program offers researchers, survey methodologists, and statisticians an opportunity to conduct statistical research in a particular area of mutual interest to them and BJS, examine innovative approaches to the analysis and dissemination of BJS data, and interact with BJS staff and gain first-hand knowledge of developments in BJS statistical programs. Projects completed or underway by BJS Visiting Fellows have involved: the impact of including repeat victimizations in national statistics on criminal victimization; a framework for organizing and streamlining the National Crime Victimization Survey's criminal incident instrument; measuring the victim-offender overlap; and post-prison mortality and recidivism.