Policy problem
A key priority for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) leadership team is the use of data and evidence in the agency’s decision making. While vast amounts of data are collected daily in TJJD, the team facilities needed a more accessible way to analyze and interpret data.
Our approach
Working closely with TJJD’s data and policy analysis team, the Texas Policy Lab built a custom dashboard that aggregated vast amounts of incident data and provided meaningful insights to the executive leadership team at TJJD. The highly interactive dashboard summarizes trends in incidents at the institutional, facility, and dormitory level, and allows users to further analyze these trends using various benchmarks. Additionally, the dashboard provides a profile for each youth, which brings together diverse datasets to summarize individual needs and progress in TJJD’s programs. .
Results and Impact
The project highlights the value of data-driven insights for government agencies charged with caring for youth and promoting public safety for all Texans. This project has been successfully completed. The TJJD executive team now has access to a tool that allows them to make the most informed decisions about the youths in their care, as they pursue their vision of a juvenile justice system that puts the needs of youths first.