FY2023 Survey of Prison Inmates Data Linkage Program

The Survey of Prison Inmates Data Linkage Program (SPI DLP) is designed to advance and expand BJS's efforts and achievements linking the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI) self-report data to various administrative records, including criminal history, employment and income, housing, and beneficiary records. Relying on these blended data sources will allow BJS to expand on the breadth and depth of substantive issues that can be addressed through the 2016 SPI and to conduct follow-up studies of persons formerly imprisoned, such as on post-release employment, desistance from crime, and recidivism. The awardee will be responsible for collaborating with BJS staff to create products using these blended data sources, while leveraging the data linkage and merging procedures, as well as the SPI reweighting methodology, developed and implemented through the Survey of Prison Inmates Statistical Support Center (SPI SSP). To produce high-quality products, critical methodological tasks will involve modifying existing data linkage or merging procedures as needed, adjusting SPI weights to account for missing SPI respondents in records sources, and modifying and implementing the SPI reweighting procedures to create proper release cohorts for selected sources to facilitate post-release analyses using the SPI. The objectives of this 24-month project support OJP's goals to prevent and reduce crime to strengthen community safety, and advance improvements in the justice system.