SEARCH Symposium – Long Beach, CA

Agenda, Presentations, Speakers, and Photos

The 2023 Symposium was a 2 1/2-day event, co-hosted by SEARCH, the Justice Research and Statistics Association, and the National Criminal Justice Association, which featured 4 keynotes and 29 Plenary Sessions and Workshops across 4 tracks: Technology, Policy, Research, and Practice. Each track addressed key contemporary subjects that impact justice policymakers and practitioners across the nation:

Symposium Agenda

The following is the final agenda of the 2023 SEARCH Symposium. Hover your mouse over each session for details on Speakers and Topical Abstracts. Links to videos of Symposium sessions will be posted here, and PDFs of many speaker presentations will be available to download.

All times are Pacific Daylight Time.

Monday, July 24, 2023
Plenary Session	1:00PM–1:45PM	Symposium Opening Plenary Session: Introductions, Orientation, Welcoming Remarks Mr. Jason Bright, Chair, SEARCH Board of DirectorsDr. Mindi TenNapel, Secretary/Treasurer, JRSA Executive CommitteeMr. Andrew LeFevre, President, NCJA Board of DirectorsDeputy Chief Ty Burford, Long Beach Police Department Leaders of the Board of Directors or Executive Committees of SEARCH, the JRSA, and NCJA jointly open the 2023 Symposium on Justice Information Technology, Policy, Research, and Practice, make introductory remarks, and acknowledge a number of key guests. They also provide a brief overview of the Symposium schedule, including plenary sessions, concurrent workshop sessions, and what attendees can expect. The Chief of the Long Beach Police Department offers remarks to welcome the attendees of the 2023 SEARCH/JRSA/NCJA Symposium to the host city. Attendees joining in person or virtually include members and staff of the three sponsoring organizations, speakers, participants from federal, state and local agencies, and representatives of sponsoring companies and agencies. The Long Beach Police Department is the second largest municipal police agency in Los Angeles County and provides services to the 7th largest city in the State of California. Centennial Ballroom B Opening Plenary
Plenary Session	1:45PM–2:45PM	Keynote 1: Justice and Policing Reform "Criminal Justice Reform in California: Change in Sentencing, Policing, and the Impact on Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice Outcomes" Dr. Steven Raphael, Professor of Public Policy, UC Berkeley Criminal Justice Reform in California: Change in Sentencing, Policing, and the Impact on Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice Outcomes Steven Raphael, Ph.D., Professor of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley Over the past 12 years, the State of California has enacted a host of criminal justice reforms that have profoundly altered ground-level practice in the state. Beginning with a bevy of sentencing reforms that nearly halved the state’s prison population and a later data collection effort to increase the transparency and fairness of policing throughout the state, California has been at the forefront of efforts to undo the excesses of past decades and to increase fairness in the administration of justice. There is now ample research on the impacts of these reforms on correctional populations, racial disparities in incarceration rates, and public safety. There is also growing research that is leveraging the new data collected on policing and much policy activity being informed in real time by data-driven analysis. This talk reviews California’s experience, the potential for future reforms, and the lessons learned that are likely applicable to other states. Centennial Ballroom B Keynote 1-Raphael Keynote 1
Light Break	2:45PM–3:00PM	Conference Foyer
Workshops 1	3:00PM–4:00PM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshops 1	3:00PM–4:00PM	Kentucky's Automated eTrace Program Kentucky’s Automated eTrace Program Moderator: Becki Goggins, Director of Law and Policy, SEARCH Lt. Col. Larry Newton, Office of Technical Services, Kentucky State Police SAC Shawn Morrow, Louisville Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Steve Roadcap, Senior Consulting Manager, LexisNexis CopLogic Edward Stely, Special Assistant to the Assistant Director, Office of Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives eTrace is a web-based application that is used to trace the purchase and/or use history of firearms used in violent crimes to assist in generating investigative leads to help solve violent crimes across the country. These leads help law enforcement agencies quickly identify potential gun traffickers and suspects in criminal investigations. eTrace is used to trace crime guns from their original manufacturer or importer, through the wholesale/retail distribution chain, to the first person who bought them. Kentucky is the first in the nation to implement an automated eTrace program as a part of criminal investigations with great success. Panelists discuss how the program was implemented within the Commonwealth, how it benefits data quality and the criminal justice community, and how it improves public safety. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 1-Newton, Morrow, Roadcap, Stely	Expanding Records Relief: Understanding the Business Case for Clean Slate Expanding Records Relief: Understanding the Business Case for Clean Slate Moderator: Laura Chavez, Ph.D., Director of Research and Data, The Clean Slate Initiative Noella Sudbury, JD, Clean Slate Utah / CEO, Rasa Public Benefit Corp. Katie Svoboda-Kindle, Senior Staff Attorney, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia Akua Amaning, JD, LLM, Director, Criminal Justice Reform, Center for American Progress This session provides an overview of the business case for Clean Slate, and addresses a) what is motivating clean slate, b) bipartisan support, c) economic/workforce issues, d) research on recidivism and redemption, and e) human capital. Centennial Ballroom C Policy 1-Chavez, Amaning, Sudbury, Svoboda-Kindle	Capturing Crime Trends: The Challenges and Opportunities for Improving National Crime Data Capturing Crime Trends: The Challenges and Opportunities for Improving National Crime Data Richard Rosenfeld, Chair, Council on Criminal Justice Crime Trends Working Group and Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Criminology and Crime Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis (Virtual) The Chair of the Council on Criminal Justice’s new Crime Trends Working Group discusses its major objective: To improve the nation’s crime reporting systems to better monitor and explain changes in crime rates over time. This workshop also provides an opportunity for participants to offer direct input to the Crime Trends Working Group as it defines the scope of its work. Centennial Ballroom D Research 1-Rosenfeld	Strategies in Law Enforcement Alternative Response, Retention, and Recruitment Strategies in Law Enforcement Alternative Response, Retention, and Recruitment Moderator: Scott McLaren, Deputy Director, Delaware Criminal Justice Council Deputy Chief Ty Burford, Long Beach (CA) Police Department Captain Carlos Acosta, San Jose (CA) Police Department Joseph A. Cortez, Ph.D., Professor, Bovard College, University of Southern California Deputy Chief Jaime Jimenez, San Jose (CA) Police Department How law enforcement agencies deploy the right resources to the range of calls for service is a challenge at a time when both staffing and morale are low. Local law enforcement agencies are testing models and researchers are offering insights into best practices. This session addresses current issues in law enforcement training and response with the potential to improve community relations and ease officer workloads. Barcelona/Casablanca Room
Light Break	4:00PM–4:15PM	Conference Foyer
Workshop 2	4:15PM–5:15PM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshop 2	4:15PM–5:15PM	Current Issues in Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Current Issues in Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Paul Carrillo, Vice President, Giffords Center for Violence Intervention Fernando Rejón, Executive Director, Urban Peace Institute Community violence, one of the most prevalent drivers of the gun violence epidemic, is defined by the CDC as violence between “unrelated individuals, who may or may not know each other, generally outside the home.” This includes homicides, shootings, stabbings, etc. In 2020, nearly 25,000 lives were taken by homicide—almost 80% with firearms. Today, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents. Policing alone is not the answer and any top cop will attest to that. Local, state, and our federal officials have embraced community violence intervention (CVI) in recent years and since 2021 are putting serious dollars behind these efforts. But what is CVI? Is there evidence to prove its impact? How is it done and who are the practitioners? In this interactive session, the speakers do a deep dive to uncover the good, bad and ugly of CVI. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 2	Assessing the Status of Clean Slate Initiatives Around the Nation: Lessons Learned and Challenges Remaining Assessing the Status of Clean Slate Initiatives Around the Nation: Lessons Learned and Challenges Remaining Moderator: David J. Roberts, Executive Director, SEARCH Captain Greg Willmore, Director, Bureau of Criminal Identification, Utah Department of Public Safety Michelle Kleckler, Division Director, Criminal Justice Information Center, Michigan State Police Erin Henry, Division Director, Information Services Division, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation This workshop describes the status of Clean Slate planning and implementation in several states that have passed legislation, highlights the progress to date, and explores technical and operational challenges and lessons learned. Centennial Ballroom C Policy 2-Henry Policy 2-Willmore	Communicating Research: Presentations by the 2023 Yearwood Publication Contest Winners Communicating Research: Presentations by the 2023 Yearwood Publication Contest Winners Moderator: Jeffrey Sedgwick, Ph.D., Executive Director, Justice Research and Statistics Association Jessica Reichert, Senior Research Scientist and Manager, Center for Justice Research and Evaluation, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Kourtnie Rodgers, Senior Research Analyst, Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (Virtual) Thomas Strauss, MPA, Director and Principal Research Analyst, Idaho Statistical Analysis Center Sam Gonzales, Research and Evaluation Program Director, Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council JRSA's annual Douglas Yearwood National Publication Awards recognize outstanding efforts by Statistical Analysis Centers to apply empirical analysis to criminal justice policymaking in the states. Entries are judged in large part on their communication of research information to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. This session recognizes the 2023 winners and provides an opportunity for them to share their publications and related communication goals and strategies. Centennial Ballroom D Research 2-Gonzales Research 2-Reichert Research 2-Strauss (Domestic Violence) Research 2-Strauss (Crime Victimization)	Data to Inform and Implement Policy and Practice Data to Inform and Implement Policy and Practice Craig Uchida, Ph.D., President, Justice and Security Strategies, Inc. P. Jeffrey Brantingham, Ph.D., Department of Anthropology, University of California Los Angeles In 2018 the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) provided funding to Justice & Security Strategies, Inc. (JSS) to examine and analyze the extensive collection of homicide cases in Los Angeles. JSS was given unprecedented access to homicide data by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had begun a digital scanning process of LAPD’s “Murder Books”— a compilation of the information collected during the course of each investigation — that covered both solved and unsolved homicides from 1990–2010. Cases from four of 21 LAPD area stations located in South Los Angeles were the focus of the scanning process. JSS staff coded each scanned Murder Book and analyzed those data. This presentation briefly describes the investigation process and presents findings regarding solvability using logistic regression analysis. Barcelona/Casablanca Room Practice 2-Uchida, Brantingham
Reception/Exhibitors	5:30PM–7:00PM	Centennial Ballroom A and Terrace

Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Continental Breakfast	7:00AM–8:00AM	Centennial Ballroom A and Foyer
Plenary Session	8:00AM–9:00AM	Keynote 2: Gun Violence and Violence Prevention "Disrupting the Allure of Street Life, Black Gun Culture, and the 'American Dream': Perspectives for Research, Policy, and Practice" Dr. Thaddeus Johnson, Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, Georgia State University Disrupting the Allure of Street Life, Black Gun Culture, and the "American Dream": Perspectives for Research, Policy, and Practice Thaddeus Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University and Senior Fellow, Council on Criminal Justice Despite the heightened public attention to gun violence and homicides since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black communities have long endured disproportionate violent offending and victimization levels. Most acts of violence involve a victim and offender of the same race with some degree of familiarity, and firearms are the weapon of choice for many violent offenders. Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death and disability across the US. However, young Black men are disparately impacted, with Black males aged 15 to 34 representing nearly a third of all U.S. homicide deaths in recent years and over a quarter since 2000, making them a priority for strategies to reduce gun violence. For young Black men, the allure of street life, Black gun culture, and the race for the "American dream" must be disrupted through intelligence-driven policing, community intervention and investments, and sensible legislation to provide short- and long-term relief from gun violence for our most vulnerable communities. While there’s no magic bullet to prevent gun violence, this keynote address offers perspectives and ideas from evidence-based justice system and community interventions showing promise for curbing gun violence and improving public safety. Centennial Ballroom B Keynote 2-Johnson Keynote 2
Break	9:00AM–9:30AM	Conference Foyer
Workshops 3	9:30AM–10:30AM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshops 3	9:30AM–10:30AM	National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Update and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Update and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) JoAnn Garrison, Senior Liaison Specialist, National Instant Criminal Background Check System, Federal Bureau of Investigation Leslie Moore, Director, Information Services Division, Kansas Bureau of Investigation In this session, Ms. Garrison provides an overview of the FBI NICS program, including updates on the volume of inquiries processed and the number of transactions approved and denied over the past 12 months. Ms. Garrison also provides an update regarding how the NICS is implementing provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) of 2022 — including what the legislation means for gun purchasers ages 18–20 and how states and the FBI are working to enforce the provisions that preclude persons convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses involving a “dating relationship” from lawfully purchasing a firearm when their rights are restored (e.g., 5 years from the date of conviction or completion of sentence). Speakers also address how the BSCA will impact the state criminal history record repositories tasked with responding to NICS inquiries regarding firearms prohibitors. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 3-Garrison, Moore Technology 3	The Role of Data in Violence Prevention Through Public Health and Safety The Role of Data in Violence Prevention Through Public Health and Safety Dr. Constance Kostelac, Assistant Professor/Director, Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics, Medical College of Wisconsin Charles Vear, Research Analyst, Medical College of Wisconsin Joshua Parish, Assistant Chief – EMS, Training, Education and Wellness, Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department Violence, particularly firearm violence, is a challenge many communities face. In Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, 238 deaths were ruled as homicides in 2022 by the Medical Examiner’s Office, an 83% increase compared to 2019, and most involved a firearm. To address violence within the county, a multisector Violence Response Public Health and Safety Team (VR-PHAST) was established with goals to improve communication and information sharing, identify resources and unmet needs, and coordinate an enhanced response to violence. The VR-PHAST is comprised of public health, public safety, and community partners who focus on the policy implications and the implementation of action steps to respond to the levels of violence within the community. Central to VR-PHAST is the use of data and research to guide strategies and the direction of the team; the role and importance of data provides the framework for this session, with a focus on prevention. Centennial Ballroom C Policy 3-Kostelac, Parish, Vear (PDF)	Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis Moderator: Dean Kueter, Vice President, Government Relations, Brooks Bawden Moore LLC David King, Director, San Diego-Imperial Valley (CA) HIDTA Assistance Program Colonel Michael Snyders, National Coordinator, Domestic Highway Enforcement Initiative, National HIDTA Assistance Center The speakers provide a briefing on the latest developments in fentanyl and other drug trafficking, examining current trends on how criminal organizations are evading border controls and exploiting transportation networks to distribute these drugs into communities around the country. The session also addresses how local, state, and federal agencies are collaborating to address this insidious threat. Centennial Ballroom D Research 3-King Research 3-Snyders Research 3	A Fair Chance for Work: Strategies to Address Barriers to Public Employment for People with Criminal Records A Fair Chance for Work: Strategies to Address Barriers to Public Employment for People with Criminal Records Chidi Umez-Rowley, Deputy Program Director, The Council of State Governments Justice Center Joshua Gaines, Project Manager, The Council of State Governments Justice Center Jasmine Quintana, MSW, Policy Analyst, Corrections and Reentry, The Council of State Governments Justice Center With more than 21 million U.S. workers employed by federal, state, or local governments, public employment provides an accessible entry point to a variety of careers. As the public sector faces mass retirement of an aging workforce, workers to fill those jobs will continue to be in high demand. Public employment can provide an important pathway toward long-term economic mobility for people with criminal histories. Yet, while many jurisdictions have exercised their broad authority to increase access to public jobs for workers with criminal histories, few have maximized the opportunity. This session looks at strategies to address barriers to public employment for individuals with criminal records. Barcelona/Casablanca Room Practice 3-Gaines, Quintana Practice 3-Expanding Access to Public Employment for People with Criminal Records Practice 3
Break	10:30AM–11:00AM	Conference Foyer
Plenary Session	11:00AM–12:00PM	Roundtable: Office of Justice Programs Agencies Dr. Nancy La Vigne, Director, National Institute of JusticeDr. Alexis R. Piquero, Director, Bureau of Justice StatisticsMr. Karhlton Moore, Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance Office of Justice Programs Leadership Roundtable Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., Director, U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice Alexis R. Piquero, Ph.D., Director, U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics Karhlton Moore, Director, U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance In this roundtable discussion, leaders of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) within the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), highlight current priorities in research, funding, and program development. Centennial Ballroom B Roundtable Plenary
Lunch/Exhibitors	12:00PM–1:00PM	Centennial Ballroom A and Terrace
Plenary Session	1:00PM–2:00PM	Keynote 3: Measuring Crime and Justice Operations "Measuring Crime and Justice Operations: Why BJS Matters Now More Than Ever" Dr. Alexis R. Piquero, Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics Measuring Crime and Justice Operations: Why BJS Matters Now More than Ever Alexis R. Piquero, Ph.D., Director, U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics Dr. Piquero provides an overview of the broad range of BJS data collections, discusses how BJS is integrating itself throughout the Government and Beyond, and reviews the BJS role and findings in developing reports responding to President Biden’s Executive Order 14074 on "Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing, and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety." Centennial Ballroom B Keynote 3-Piquero Keynote 3
Break	2:00PM–2:30PM	Conference Foyer
Workshops 4	2:30PM–3:30PM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshops 4	2:30PM–3:30PM	Improving Criminal History Data Quality Measures Improving Criminal History Data Quality Measures Devon Adams, Deputy Director, Policy Division, U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics Becki Goggins, Director of Law and Policy, SEARCH Derek Veitenheimer, Director of Research and Statistics, SEARCH This workshop features a discussion of NCHIP (the National Criminal History Improvement Program) and NARIP (the NICS Act Record Improvement Program), as well as research on criminal history data quality and efforts. The speakers explore how data quality measures can be enhanced to account for differences in reporting practices between states (e.g., how old records are counted, duplicate arrests, etc.). This session also addresses elements of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 4-Adams Technology 4-Goggins, Veitenheimer Technology 4	The Council on Criminal Justice's Task Force on Long Sentences: A Roadmap for Reform The Council on Criminal Justice’s Task Force on Long Sentences: A Roadmap for Reform John Maki, Director, Council on Criminal Justice Task Force on Long Sentences Sam Lewis, Member, Council on Criminal Justice Task Force on Long Sentences, and Executive Director, Anti-Recidivism Coalition As the nation continues to grapple with a rise in violent crime, how can the use of long sentences promote safety and justice for everyone? In 2022, the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) established the Task Force on Long Sentences to address this question. Co-chaired by former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former Congressman Trey Gowdy, the Task Force’s 16 members represented a broad range of experience and perspectives, including crime victims and survivors, people who had served long prison terms, and representatives of prosecution, defense, law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Over the course of the year, members assessed drivers of growth in the number of people sentenced to 10 years or more behind bars, the effectiveness of long sentences in preventing and deterring crime, and the effects of those sentences on racial disparities, incarcerated people and their families, crime victims and survivors, communities, and correctional staff. In March 2023, the Task Force concluded its work, releasing its final report and recommendations. In this session, Task Force members and staff provide an overview of the Task Force’s key findings and 14 recommendations Centennial Ballroom C	Roundtable on Measuring Racial Bias Roundtable on Measuring Racial Bias Moderator: Mindi TenNapel, MBA, Ph.D., Research Coordinator, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning, Iowa Department of Human Rights, and Director, Iowa Statistical Analysis Center Robin Joy, J.D., Ph.D., Director of Research, Crime Research Group, Inc. Ken Sanchagrin, Executive Director, Oregon Criminal Justice Commission Jack Reed, Research Director, Office of Research and Statistics, Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Department of Public Safety This Roundtable features a panel discussion among current and former Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) researchers from four states — Iowa, Vermont, Oregon, and Colorado — regarding their work to measure racial bias in the criminal justice system. Panelists are expected to address the data they used and associated challenges, and their biggest surprise in conducting the research — whether that related to the surprises in the process or in the results. Attendees are invited to share their experience in researching racial bias and to pose questions to the panel. Centennial Ballroom D	Preventing and Responding to Suicide-Related Firearm Deaths: Strategies for Policy and Practice Preventing and Responding to Suicide-Related Firearm Deaths: Strategies for Policy and Practice Moderator: Simone Greene, Senior Program Manager, NCJA Center for Justice Planning, National Criminal Justice Association Catherine Barber, MPA, Senior Researcher, Injury Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health (Virtual) Cathryn Nacario, RN, MHA, 1st Vice President, National Alliance on Mental Illness Board of Directors, and CEO, NAMI San Diego and Imperial Counties, California Jason (Jay) Zimmerman, Supervisory Peer Support Specialist, Peer Support Outreach Center, Veterans Crisis Line, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Virtual) The Bipartisan Safer Community Act provided a number of tools, including new funding, to reduce harms from firearms. With suicides currently accounting for 58% of firearm deaths (2021 data), no strategy to reduce firearm violence is complete without addressing suicide. Firearms are the leading method of suicide, and gun owners have higher suicide rates than non-owners in spite of being no more likely than non-owners to have a mental health problem or to attempt suicide. Their higher suicide rate stems from their attempts being more likely to involve a firearm and prove fatal. Increasingly suicide prevention groups and gun owner groups (like gun shop owners, firearm instructors, and gun clubs) are working together to promote a voluntary “friends don’t let friends drive drunk” approach to reducing the use of guns in suicide attempts. Join this workshop to learn about the science behind why “means matter,” an overview of gun-owner-friendly prevention strategies — particularly those targeted to veterans — and the role that first responders and the public health and justice systems can play. Barcelona/Casablanca Room Practice 4
Break	3:30PM–4:00PM	Conference Foyer
Workshops 5	4:00PM–5:30PM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshops 5	4:00PM–5:30PM	Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA): Reporting Requirements, Implementation Plans, and Technical Assistance Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA): Reporting Requirements, Implementation Plans, and Technical Assistance Jeffrey Sedgwick, Ph.D., Executive Director, Justice Research and Statistics Association Shaun Gann, Research Associate, Justice Research and Statistics Association Roger Przybylski, Research Director, Justice Research and Statistics Association Beginning in Fiscal Year 2023, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program State solicitation requires State Administering Agencies (SAA) to submit a state implementation plan for Death in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA) data collection and reporting as part of their application. Through this plan, SAAs are required to demonstrate an understanding of DCRA requirements and explain how their state intends to gather and report the required data. This session is designed to assist states in developing their implementation plan for DCRA data collection and reporting in compliance with federal law. Given the data collection expertise that resides in state Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs), and the co-location of SAAs and SACs in many states, this session is specifically geared for both SAA and SAC leadership and staff. The session focuses on the reporting requirements of DCRA, the DCRA Training and Technical Assistance that JRSA and BJA can provide, and what is known about best practices regarding federal reporting to BJA, including the availability of resources. It also includes a peer-to-peer discussion about DCRA data collection and reporting challenges and what states have done to address them. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 5-Sedgwick, Gann, Przybylski Technology 5	Preparing State Criminal Histories for Booking Station Rapid DNA Preparing State Criminal Histories for Booking Station Rapid DNA Douglas Hares, Rapid DNA Implementation Advisor, FBI Laboratory, Biometric Analysis Section Philip Simmers, CODIS Unit Manager, Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory (Virtual) Chris Carney, Deputy Director of Forensic Services, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (Virtual) Rapid DNA analysis allows for a qualifying arrestee’s DNA profile to be developed during booking in less than two hours and immediately enrolled and searched in the National DNA Database (CODIS) against unsolved crimes of special concern. A match will result in an immediate notification to the booking agency, arresting agency and investigating agency via the Wants and Warrants network, NLETS. This workshop focuses on the information needed from state criminal history systems to implement booking station Rapid DNA in states able to collect and analyze DNA at arrest. Speakers from two states implementing booking station Rapid DNA discuss the challenges they overcame during implementation. Rapid DNA has the potential to dramatically impact our ability to generate investigative leads while an arrestee is still in custody, possibly preventing future crimes from being committed. Centennial Ballroom C Policy 5

Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Continental Breakfast	7:00AM–8:00AM	Centennial Ballroom A and Foyer
Plenary Session	8:00AM–9:00AM	Keynote 4: Crisis Response and Alternatives to Incarceration "Crisis Response and Transforming 9-1-1 for Public Health, Safety, and Justice" Dr. Rebecca Neusteter, Executive Director, University of Chicago Health Lab Crisis Response and Transforming 9-1-1 for Public Health, Safety, and Justice Rebecca Neusteter, Ph.D., Executive Director, University of Chicago Health Lab The keynote speaker surveys the landscape of crisis response in communities across the country. She will share five things all communities should know about how to transform traditional 9-1-1 response to a system of integrated emergency response, appropriate to each community’s needs and resources. Discussion focuses on simple and effective strategies to help improve public health, safety, and justice. Historical and contemporary examples ground this conversation, which includes opportunities for data-informed insights, consensus and improved outcomes. Effective and equitable emergency crisis response is within our reach and core to achieving successful alternatives to arrest and incarceration, justice and policing reform, violence prevention, and measuring justice and health-related operations. Centennial Ballroom B Keynote 4-Neusteter Keynote 4
Break	9:00AM–9:30AM	Conference Foyer
Workshops 6	9:30AM–10:30AM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshops 6	9:30AM–10:30AM	Roundtable on Measuring Gun Violence Roundtable on Measuring Gun Violence Moderator: Roger Przybylski, M.S., Director of Research, Justice Research and Statistics Association David Marimon, Policy and Research Analyst, Statistical Analysis Center, District of Columbia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Jessica Reichert, Senior Research Scientist and Manager, Center for Justice Research and Evaluation, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Robert Orth, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Virtual) Brandon Vick, Associate Professor of Economics, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Virtual) Policymakers are increasingly interested in understanding the problem of gun violence. This Roundtable features a panel of Statistical Analysis Center ( SAC) researchers from three jurisdictions — including the District of Columbia and Illinois — who provide insights into their efforts to define and measure gun violence. Panelists address the types of requests that led to their research, challenges in measuring gun violence, data sources employed, and promising strategies to produce useful information for policymakers. Attendees are welcome to pose questions or share their experiences. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 6-Reichert, Mason Technology 6-Vick Technology 6-Marimon Technology 6	Assessing the Status of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), Use-of-Force, and Bias Motivation in Data Collection and Analysis Assessing the Status of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), Use-of-Force, and Bias Motivation in Data Collection and Analysis Derek Veitenheimer, Director of Research and Statistics, SEARCH Cynthia Barnett-Ryan, Ph.D., Data Scientist, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation Erica Smith, Unit Chief, Law Enforcement Incident-Based Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics On January 1, 2021, the FBI transitioned the nation’s crime reporting program to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which effectively ended the collection of data through the Summary Reporting System (SRS), which was established in 1929 and which had functioned as the primary program used by law enforcement agencies to submit their crime reporting statistics to the FBI. Although NIBRS modernizes the way we collect, study, and understand incident-level crime data, transitioning the many thousands of agencies to this improved reporting program takes time, resources, and updated records management systems to implement properly. Also, on January 1, 2019, the FBI launched the National Use-of-Force Data collection program to collect and track information on significant instances of use-of-force events. Session speakers review and discuss the status of the NIBRS and Use-of-Force programs, as well as the impacts each has had in how we interpret and understand the nation’s crime and arrest statistics, use-of-force events, and hate bias reporting in NIBRS. Centennial Ballroom C Policy 6-Barnett-Ryan Policy6-Smith	The Unique Role of the State Administering Agency as a Change Agent: Using Data, Funding, and Relationships to Impact Statewide System Change The Unique Role of the State Administering Agency as a Change Agent: Using Data, Funding, and Relationships to Impact Statewide System Change Andrew LeFevre, Executive Director, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission Lloyd A. Asato, Program Manager, Criminal Justice Systems Improvement, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission Chief Karl Auerbach, Salt River Police Department, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (Virtual) State Administering Agencies (SAAs) are defined by one of their main core functions: the administration of federal formula grants like the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant and other criminal justice grants. But the very nature and role that the SAAs play in the administration of these grants place them in a natural nexus point to serve a bigger role for their state when it comes to identifying system issues that impact all criminal justice agencies and to serving as the driving force in seeking and implementing solutions to those issues. This workshop highlights the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission's growth from grant administrator to a leader in statewide criminal justice system improvement through the use of data, funding, and relationships. Centennial Ballroom D Research 6-Asato Research 6	Innovative Models of Community Crime Prevention and the Role of the Local Business Community Innovative Models of Community Crime Prevention and the Role of the Local Business Community Moderator: Gillian Caplan, Program Planner, Department of Violence Prevention, City of Oakland (CA) David Downey, President/CEO, International Downtown Association LeVar Michael, Senior Program Officer, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Crime and crime prevention are, by their nature, local in character and the responses are unique to each community and neighborhood. This session unveils the fascinating and varied ways that communities are approaching crime prevention, including through environmental design, coordination of treatment, employment and housing services, and through collaboration with the local business community. LeVar Michael, senior program officer with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), has worked with numerous communities across the country on a broad range of community-based crime reduction and resident-based crime prevention strategies. David Downey, President and CEO of the International Downtown Association, discusses the many and varied ways that the local business communities meet the needs of their local areas and advance innovative strategies for preventing and reducing crime. Barcelona/Casablanca Room
Break	10:30AM–11:00AM	Conference Foyer
Workshops 7	11:00AM–12:00PM	Technology	Policy	Research	Practice
Workshops 7	11:00AM–12:00PM	Government and Industry Criminal History Background Checks Government and Industry Criminal History Background Checks Leslie Moore, Director, Information Services Division, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Jay Harris, Outside Counsel, Consumer Data Industry Association The demand for background checks—including criminal history record information—is ever-growing. According to the most recent Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems conducted by SEARCH/BJS, states processed 12.8 million and 14.6 million non-criminal justice fingerprint-based and name-based checks respectively in 2020 for a total of over 27 million checks. By contrast, in a single year, larger members of the private Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA) each process over 90 million checks. But how well do people understand what happens behind the scenes to make this vast quantity of information available promptly and accurately? The purpose of this session is to discuss 1) data sources used by government and private industry when compiling criminal history records, 2) how data is aggregated and updated, 3) who is allowed to access records in accordance with applicable privacy rules, and 4) how a citizen can access their own information and how to correct it when something is wrong. Centennial Ballroom B Technology 7-Harris Technology 7	Put Your Data to Use: How Increased Data Sharing Can Increase Equity in Your Criminal Justice System Put Your Data to Use: How Increased Data Sharing Can Increase Equity in Your Criminal Justice System Moderator: Michael Fargen, Director, National Criminal Justice Association Data Center Grace Beil Call, Director, State Initiatives, The Council of State Governments Justice Center Anthony Powers, Founder and Executive Director, American Equity and Justice Group (AEJG) Natalia Bowser, Executive Director, Montana Board of Crime Control (MBCC) This session addresses Justice Counts, a national, consensus-building initiative by the Bureau of Justice Assistance designed to help policymakers make better decisions with criminal justice data that are timelier, less disjointed, and as useful as possible. This effort involves developing an essential set of criminal justice metrics that every public official needs to inform budget and policy decisions, and creating a range of tools that will enable policymakers and practitioners to improve how their state or locality collects, analyzes, and reports criminal justice data. Learn how to use the insights gained from Justice Counts as a starting point for the equity-focused work of AEJG and the state level work of MBCC. The panelists discuss the role that data plays in advancing our understanding of our local, state, and national criminal justice systems and how to use the tools available through Justice Counts to increase the focus on equity. Centennial Ballroom C Policy 7-Fargen, Call, Powers, Bowser	Understanding Mass Violence: What the Research Shows and Addressing Community Needs Understanding Mass Violence: What the Research Shows and Addressing Community Needs Moderator: Suzanne Breedlove, Senior Program Manager, OVC VOCA Center, National Criminal Justice Association Natasha N. Johnson, Ed.D., Clinical Instructor and Director, MIS Program in Criminal Justice Administration, Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University Brooke Cheaton, Project Ujima Manager, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin (Virtual) Angela Moreland-Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Director, Data Collection & Evaluation, National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center Amy O'Neill, MS, LPC, Amy C. O'Neill Consulting Tragically, incidents of mass violence reach into every corner of America. Though they make up only a small percentage of total violent crime, the indiscriminate nature and the frequency of these events cause anxiety and feelings of a loss of control. Children across America live daily with the fear of gun violence at school, and prevention can feel impossible. When these events do occur, the wounds to the entire community run deep and can never fully heal. This session discusses what the research shows is the mental health impact of mass violence events on community members, the impact on children, and what communities and the health care system can do to help prevent mass violence and recover when incidents occur. Centennial Ballroom D Research 7-O'Neill Research 7-Moreland-Johnson Research 7-N.Johnson Research 7	Opportunities and Obstacles: Developing Findings and Recommendations to Support State Administering Agencies and Statistical Analysis Centers Opportunities and Obstacles: Developing Findings and Recommendations to Support State Administering Agencies and Statistical Analysis Centers John Maki, Fellow, New York University Marron Institute of Urban Management Roger Przybylski, M.S., Research Director, Justice Research and Statistics Association State Administering Agencies (SAAs) and Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) have played longstanding and fundamental roles in helping state and local jurisdictions to use data, research, strategic planning, and federal funding to address a broad range of public safety issues. In recent years, as the nation has wrestled with the consequences of the pandemic, rising crime rates, and an ongoing social justice reckoning, federal and state authorities have frequently turned to SAAs and SACs to take on more responsibilities, from administering COVID-relief funds to addressing issues of racial equity in grant making and the criminal justice system more broadly. Despite these vital and increasingly complex responsibilities, capacity-building resources have largely remained stagnant and well short of what’s needed to tackle contemporary SAA and SAC challenges. To inform the development of best practice models and capacity building recommendations, this session invites past and present SAA and SAC leaders and staff to discuss the diverse roles that these diverse agencies play throughout the country, the different challenges they face, and the potential to strengthen their impact through strategic planning, evaluation, and grant making collaborations. Barcelona/Casablanca Room
Lunch/Exhibitors	12:00PM–1:00PM	Centennial Ballroom A and Terrace
Plenary Session	1:00PM–2:30PM	Closing Plenary "Where Do We Go from Here? — Opportunities for Statewide Action" Mr. Marshall Clement, Deputy Director, The Council of State Governments Justice CenterMr. Adam Gelb, President/CEO, Council on Criminal Justice Where Do We Go from Here? — Opportunities for Statewide Action Moderator: Joseph J. Popcun, Executive Deputy Commissioner, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Marshall Clement, Deputy Director, The Council of State Governments Justice Center Adam Gelb, President and CEO, Council on Criminal Justice As state and local jurisdictions grapple with the recent rise in crime and violence, the Council on State Governments Justice Center (CSG Justice Center) and the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) have released 10-point plans and new data sets to help guide effective responses. In this closing plenary session, Marshall Clement, deputy director of the CSG Justice Center, and Adam Gelb, president and CEO of CCJ, describe how states and localities can use these tools to break down silos and advance solutions tailored to each community’s most pressing issues. The discussion highlights opportunities for state-led, whole-of-government initiatives available to both urban and rural communities. Centennial Ballroom B Closing Plenary-Clement

Symposium Speakers

Symposium Keynote Speakers

Justice and Policing
Reform

Steven Raphael, Ph.D.
Professor of Public Policy
University of California, Berkeley
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Gun Violence and Violence Prevention

Thaddeus Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology
Georgia State University
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Crisis Response and Alternatives to Incarceration

Rebecca Neusteter, Ph.D.
Executive Director
University of Chicago Health Lab
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Measuring Crime and Justice Operations

Alexis R. Piquero, Ph.D.
Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics
U.S. Department of Justice
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Symposium Opening Plenary Session: Introductions, Orientation, Welcoming Remarks

Jason Bright
Program Manager
Criminal Records and Identification Services Section
Division of Criminal Investigation
Montana Department of Justice
Chair, SEARCH Board of Directors
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Mindi TenNapel, Ph.D.
Research Coordinator, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning, Iowa Department of Human Rights
Director, Iowa Statistical Analysis Center
Secretary/Treasurer, Justice Research and Statistics Association Executive Committee
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Andrew LeFevre
Executive Director, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
President, National Criminal Justice Association Board of Directors
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Ty Burford
Deputy Chief of Police
City of Long Beach
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Roundtable: Office of Justice Programs Agencies

Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D.
Director, National Institute of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice
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Alexis R. Piquero, Ph.D.
Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics
U.S. Department of Justice
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Karhlton Moore
Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance
U.S. Department of Justice
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Closing Plenary: Where Do We Go from Here?: Opportunities for Statewide Action

Marshall Clement
Deputy Director
The Council of State Governments Justice Center
Read Bio »

Adam Gelb
President and CEO
The Council on Criminal Justice
Read Bio »

2023 Symposium on Justice Information Technology, Policy, Research, and Practice

July 24-26, 2023 · The Westin Long Beach · Long Beach, CA

Agenda, Presentations, Speakers, and Photos

Justice and PolicingReform

Gun Violence andViolence Prevention

Measuring Crime andJustice Operations

Crisis Response andAlternatives to Incarceration

Symposium Agenda

Monday, July 24, 2023

Criminal Justice Reform in California: Change in Sentencing, Policing, and the Impact on Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice Outcomes

Kentucky’s Automated eTrace Program

Expanding Records Relief: Understanding the Business Case for Clean Slate

Capturing Crime Trends: The Challenges and Opportunities for Improving National Crime Data

Strategies in Law Enforcement Alternative Response, Retention, and Recruitment

Current Issues in Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention

Assessing the Status of Clean Slate Initiatives Around the Nation: Lessons Learned and Challenges Remaining

Communicating Research: Presentations by the 2023 Yearwood Publication Contest Winners

Data to Inform and Implement Policy and Practice

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Disrupting the Allure of Street Life, Black Gun Culture, and the "American Dream": Perspectives for Research, Policy, and Practice

National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Update and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA)

The Role of Data in Violence Prevention Through Public Health and Safety

Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis

A Fair Chance for Work: Strategies to Address Barriers to Public Employment for People with Criminal Records

Office of Justice Programs Leadership Roundtable

Measuring Crime and Justice Operations: Why BJS Matters Now More than Ever

Improving Criminal History Data Quality Measures

The Council on Criminal Justice’s Task Force on Long Sentences: A Roadmap for Reform

Roundtable on Measuring Racial Bias

Preventing and Responding to Suicide-Related Firearm Deaths: Strategies for Policy and Practice

Deaths in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA): Reporting Requirements, Implementation Plans, and Technical Assistance

Preparing State Criminal Histories for Booking Station Rapid DNA

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Crisis Response and Transforming 9-1-1 for Public Health, Safety, and Justice

Roundtable on Measuring Gun Violence

Assessing the Status of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), Use-of-Force, and Bias Motivation in Data Collection and Analysis

The Unique Role of the State Administering Agency as a Change Agent: Using Data, Funding, and Relationships to Impact Statewide System Change

Innovative Models of Community Crime Prevention and the Role of the Local Business Community

Government and Industry Criminal History Background Checks

Put Your Data to Use: How Increased Data Sharing Can Increase Equity in Your Criminal Justice System

Understanding Mass Violence: What the Research Shows and Addressing Community Needs

Opportunities and Obstacles: Developing Findings and Recommendations to Support State Administering Agencies and Statistical Analysis Centers

Where Do We Go from Here? — Opportunities for Statewide Action

Symposium Speakers

Symposium Keynote Speakers

Justice and PolicingReform

Gun Violence and Violence Prevention

Crisis Response and Alternatives to Incarceration

Measuring Crime and Justice Operations

Symposium Opening Plenary Session: Introductions, Orientation, Welcoming Remarks

Roundtable: Office of Justice Programs Agencies

Closing Plenary: Where Do We Go from Here?: Opportunities for Statewide Action

Symposium Photos

Symposium Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Justice and Policing
Reform

Gun Violence and
Violence Prevention

Measuring Crime and
Justice Operations

Crisis Response and
Alternatives to Incarceration

Justice and Policing
Reform