Webinar on Advancing Research for an Effective and Fair Criminal Legal System

Webinar Overview

J-PAL North America’s Initiative for Effective U.S. Crime Policy (IECP) is dedicated to advancing rigorous research that fosters a more effective and fair criminal legal system. Through targeted Request for Proposals (RFP) cycles, IECP funds and supports randomized evaluations that generate actionable evidence to inform policy, improve outcomes, and reduce inequities across all stages of the criminal legal process.

This webinar will introduce the IECP’s inaugural RFP. Participants will receive guidance on proposal types, eligibility, and funding structures, hear about resources and research management support for funded teams, and explore how randomized evaluations can address complex challenges in crime policy.

The inaugural RFP seeks proposals that test innovative or reform-oriented approaches, examine the mechanisms behind established interventions, assess the impact of operational decisions, or contribute to the development of theory about crime-related behaviors. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, crime prevention, policing, prosecution, adjudication, sentencing, incarceration, community supervision, diversion, and reentry. Interventions may also arise outside the formal legal system, including in public health, housing, or education. Regardless of focus, primary outcomes should measure criminal behavior, engagement with the legal system, or exposure to crime or violence.

J-PAL places a strong emphasis on advancing racial equity by supporting studies that reduce bias, promote fairness, and center the perspectives of communities most affected by crime and the criminal legal system. Persistent racial disparities underscore the need for rigorous, innovative research that generates credible evidence to guide reform.

More information about the RFP is available here.

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Agenda

10:30am - 10:35am | Introductions 

10:35am - 10:50am | Request for Proposal and Research Management Support Overview 

10:50am - 11:20am | Researcher Presentations 

• 10:50am - 11:00am | Pre-Arraignment Representation and Review
• 11:00am - 11:10am | Understanding Demand for Police Alternatives
• 11:10am - 11:20am | Blind Justice: Algorithmically Masking Race in Prosecutorial Charging Decisions

11:20am - 11:50am | Audience Q&A 

11:50am - 11:55am | Closing and Next Steps

Presentation Descriptions

Presentation 1: Pre-Arraignment Representation and Review (PARR) 

This project evaluates whether providing early legal representation—before arraignment—improves outcomes for low-income felony defendants. By offering pre-arraignment counsel to a randomly selected subset of individuals in custody, the study tests whether early access to a public defender increases the likelihood of release and leads to fairer case resolutions.

Presenter:Steven Raphael, Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Presentation 2: Understanding Demand for Police Alternatives 

This project examines how communities respond to the availability of non-police crisis response options. By studying whether residents turn to alternative responders in place of traditional policing, the project seeks to understand how these approaches can reduce racial disparities in law enforcement interactions and promote safer, more equitable outcomes.

Presenter: Bocar Ba, Assistant Professor, Duke University 

Presentation 3: Blind Justice: Algorithmically Masking Race in Prosecutorial Charging Decisions

This project explores whether concealing racial and demographic information from prosecutors during charging decisions can mitigate bias and promote fairness in the criminal legal process. By rigorously testing how blinded decision-making affects prosecutorial outcomes, the study provides evidence on a promising reform aimed at addressing racial disparities in charging.

Presenter: Alex Chohlas-Wood, Assistant Professor, New York University

Contact us

Questions? Get in touch with us via [email protected]