From Brennan Center:
A new Brennan Center study of recent trends and persistent racial disparities in New York City’s misdemeanor enforcement system showcases the benefits of taking an inclusive approach to criminal justice research and policymaking. In addition to examining court data between 2016 and 2022, researchers conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 166 stakeholders, including law enforcement and impacted Black and Latino community leaders, to understand the context behind the numbers. Working with people impacted by the criminal justice system as collaborators and integrating their expertise throughout the research process strengthened our data analysis and allowed us to craft actionable recommendations for improving approaches to minor offenses.
Although these practices have long been used in fields like public health, education, and democracy, inclusive research approaches have now expanded to criminal justice, specifically to address the structural factors that drive racial disparities in the criminal justice system. These are also known as community-engaged research or participatory action research. For example, recent studies about youth gun culture, prosecutorial reforms, and prisons engage community members with lived experience as fellow experts to collaboratively conduct research and develop recommendations. In contrast, traditional research methods have historically treated marginalized groups, including justice-involved people, as subjects in need of intervention. This has also led to the exploitation of community knowledge — where members are too often pathologized — without accountability and transparency from research institutions.
In studying minor offenses, Brennan Center researchers adopted three core inclusive research strategies. First, we worked to forge connections with a wide range of key stakeholders, especially community leaders most impacted by the justice system who are typically excluded from research. Strong relationships cannot be formed overnight. Rather, community partnerships require long-term and sustained efforts in active listening, transparency, and mutual exchange. To develop our skills, we facilitated ongoing trainings and debriefs on qualitative interviewing and analysis, cultural humility, community engagement, and research accountability practices. These tools allowed us to grapple with the responsibility and privilege of being outside researchers invited into programs and communities. They also ensured that we were able to accurately capture stakeholders’ experiences and recommendations. Continue reading >>>
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