New Resource for Collaborating with Academic Researchers 

The Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University has created a new resource to help criminal justice leaders connect with academic centers and researchers. The E-Consortium of University Centers and Researchers for Partnership with Justice Practitioners is a searchable list of researchers and university centers interested in collaborating with local agencies to improve criminal justice practices.  Individuals and entities listed in the E-Consortium are available for consultation on a variety of topics, including:

• advice regarding crime, interventions, and evaluations,
• partnership on grant submissions for larger projects  and evaluations,
• exchange of data and research expertise,
• consultancy agreements between researchers/centers and agencies,
• training and technical assistance; and
• guest lectures and speakers.

Dr. Cynthia Lum, Deputy Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy says that the e-Consortium is part of a larger effort to create a culture of collaboration, so that researchers and practitioners can share resources and expertise. For CIT programs and other local criminal justice collaborations, the e-Consortium is an opportunity to connect with expects who can help local programs be more effective, create rigorous evaluations, and assist with curriculum development.

Users search the e-Consortium by keyword or by state, and contact researchers directly. The specifics of a potential collaboration should be discussed directly with individual researchers. Some scholars may offer their assistance for free, others may charge a consulting fee and some may wish to collaborate on mutually beneficial projects such as grant applications.  Some universities will be looking for opportunities for their graduate students to do research.

The  Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy (CEBCP) at George Mason University seeks to make scientific research a key component in decisions about crime and justice policies by advancing rigorous studies in criminal justice and criminology through research-practice collaborations, and proactively serving as an informational link to practitioners and the policy community.   To learn more, email cebcp@gmu.edu.     

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