Understanding, Promoting, and Sustaining the Use of Research and Evidence-Based Practices by State Administering Agencies

JRSA is nearing completion of data collection for its BJA-funded project, "Understanding, Promoting, and Sustaining the Use of Research and Evidence-Based Practices by State Administering Agencies." Project staff members have been conducting interviews with State Administering Agency (SAA) directors or their designees regarding the research and evaluation practices of these agencies and their involvement in evidence-based practices. SAAs are a critical component in the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practices because of their role in establishing funding priorities for criminal justice agencies and practitioners.

The interview content will be analyzed and used to develop a Research Evidence Self-Assessment Tool (RESAT) to help the SAAs gauge and advance their involvement in evidence-based practices and the use of research evidence. The tool will provide these agencies with guidance regarding organizational and contextual factors that influence the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practices, and may assist the SAAs in the strategic planning process. In addition to developing a self-assessment tool, JRSA will produce a report containing the findings from the interviews as well as a review of relevant literature. This report will be disseminated to State Administering Agencies and published on JRSA's website.

The interviews have captured valuable information regarding the varying definitions of evidence-based practices that are employed by the SAAs, research and evaluation resources available to the SAAs and their sub-grantees, and the ways these agencies structure priorities and program decisions based on the needs of their respective states. In addition, the respondents have provided feedback about factors that facilitate or constrain their involvement in evidence-based practices.

For more information, contact Mary Poulin at mpoulin@jrsa.org or Carrie Williamson at cwilliamson@jrsa.org.