The primary function of the CJRC is to serve as a catalyst for and facilitate collaborative interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research on crime, delinquency, and justice issues. We do so in a variety of ways. Most importantly, center faculty and graduate affiliates conduct research on crime and justice issues. In addition, we provide: information on funding opportunities; small grants to faculty for developing collaborative projects and to seed the preparation of proposals for external submission; research awards to graduate/professional students to support thesis/dissertation or equivalent professional research and/or research training; and in-kind support (e.g., office space and equipment, data, etc.) to facilitate studies of crime and justice issues.
Research conducted at CJRC reflects the diversity of interests of affiliated faculty and students. However, CJRC is positioning itself to become a national center of excellence at the forefront of knowledge about the interrelationships among race, ethnicity, crime and justice. Thus, we undertake significant projects on this topic, and on related issues regarding youth and crime, the community context of crime, and the consequences of criminal justice policies for different groups. We also seek to make available and improve data resources for studying crime and justice. Thus, a number of CJRC projects are devoted to: data base development, addressing data quality problems, and making data sets more user-friendly.
Please visit our pages on Interdisciplinary Projects for descriptions of some of the research housed at, or supported by, CJRC.