Burns Institute Services

The Burns Institute has a range of services to assist jurisdictions in reducing racial disparities in the juvenile justice system, from intensive Burns Institute engagement to consulting. Below is a brief description of the services available.

• Intensive Burns Institute Engagement Site ("ISE" Sites)

  In "ISE" sites, the BI engages in a data driven, consensus based process involving traditional and non-traditional stakeholders to implement the BI Model for DMC Reduction. The BI contracts with these sites on a yearly basis, and typically engages for at least three years. The following five strategies guide the model:

  • Strategy #1: Convene traditional and nontraditional stakeholders in the initiative to reduce DMC.
  • Strategy #2: Build communities' capacity to collect and analyze data to monitor the jurisdiction's level of DMC.
  • Strategy #3: Build communities' capacity to use findings from data analyses to develop policy and program recommendations and initiate reforms that support objective decision-making
  • Strategy #4: Make findings and recommendations public to ensure broad community support and increase system accountability.
  • Strategy #5: Institutionalize the System Improvement Process.
• Readiness Assessment Consultation ("RAC")

The Burns Institute has developed a model to assess your jurisdiction's readiness to address DMC. In its Readiness Assessment Consultation (RAC), BI staff will evaluate internal and external factors contributing to DMC and affecting your jurisdiction's ability to address DMC. With the information BI staff compiles in an intensive three day visit to your jurisdiction, we will compile a report including recommendations on how your jurisdiction can begin the process to reduce DMC.

The RAC involves a 15 day engagement to assess the following in your jurisdiction:

• Current State of DMC Problem;
• Detention Policies and Practices;
• Political Will and Leadership Among Key Stakeholders; and
• Other Factors that Could Affect DMC Reduction Effort.
• Consulting

  A wide range of consulting services are available from the Burns Institute. BI assists jurisdictions solve problems regarding DMC by providing strategic thinking and technical assistance as necessary. If your jurisdiction is currently engaged in a process to reduce DMC, but would like expert advice in refining your process, please contact us.