The District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute (DCPI) was established at the Urban Institute, in collaboration with the Brookings Institution, with funding from the Justice Grants Administration in the Executive Office of the DC Mayor. It operates under the Partnership for Greater Washington Research and serves as a non-partisan organization dedicated to crime and justice policy research in Washington, DC.
Mission Statement
DCPI aims to support the improvement of justice policy administration through evidence-based research. It provides:
- Long-term strategic planning and short-term operational research for juvenile and criminal justice challenges.
- Practitioner-oriented research to aid the Justice Grants Administration (JGA) and the Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM) in evidence-based policy development and implementation.
Core Objectives
1. Development of a Cost-Benefit Model
DCPI will design a mathematical model to predict the costs and benefits of implementing new crime and justice policies in Washington, DC. This model will:
- Use past research data to forecast outcomes.
- Combine cost and benefit analyses for evidence-based recommendations.
2. Creation of a Publicly Accessible Research Library
DCPI will establish an online repository of crime and justice research, including:
- Findings from prior and ongoing studies.
- Summaries and links to original research.
- Access to crime trends, agency roles, and community-justice partnership data.
3. Original Research Projects
DCPI will focus on two types of research:
- Strategic research to address long-term crime and public safety issues.
- Operational research to enhance justice system outcomes through evidence-based practices.
Management and Structure
Urban Institute and Justice Policy Center
DCPI is managed by the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute, known for its objective research and focus on social, economic, and governance challenges.
Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution contributes its expertise in policy analysis and its commitment to strengthening democracy, fostering social welfare, and improving governance.
Partnership for Greater Washington Research
The Urban Institute and Brookings Institution jointly administer the Partnership, pooling expertise across domains to address DC’s policy challenges.
DCPI Leadership Team
- John Roman, Ph.D.: Executive Director – oversees operations, research, and cost-benefit model development.
- Jocelyn Fontaine, Ph.D.: Deputy Director – leads outreach to justice stakeholders.
- Joshua Markman: Policy Area Manager – oversees the research library and infrastructure.
Research Advisory Group
The Urban Institute will convene a Research Advisory Group comprising:
- Academics with juvenile and criminal justice expertise.
- Professionals with policymaking experience.
This group advises on research projects and methodologies but holds no decision-making powers.
Operational Approach
Collaboration with Experts
DCPI collaborates with subject matter experts from the Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and external organizations.
Stakeholder Engagement
DCPI engages with key DC agencies, stakeholders, and the Research Advisory Group to identify and prioritize research projects.
DCPI’s Core Mission in Context
Modeled after the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), DCPI seeks to integrate scientific research into local governance and become a national model for evidence-based policy development.