The Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy (VPOPP) has received a subaward to provide Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia (Goodwill) with guidance on data collection for the launch of the Checks Over Stripes Data Collection Program (COS). The Augusta Judicial Circuit, Georgia District Attorney plans to use COS as a diversion initiative.
VPOPP Director Alissa Marque Heydari and Jennifer Bennett Shinall, Vanderbilt Professor of Law, will be assisting with the project.
“Although a functional, efficient criminal justice system should be focused on holding people accountable when they break the law, reducing crime long-term means we have to find ways to keep people out of jails and prisons,” says Heydari. “We believe that smart programs like Checks Over Stripes can reduce recidivism by promoting workforce development. We commend DA Williams and our partners at Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia for their leadership and look forward to collaborating on this important endeavor.”
COS is a crime prevention and community safety strategy targeting emerging adults who have no prior felony convictions. Participants gain skills through full-time employment, adult education classes, and career counseling and services. Goodwill provides initial candidate assessments, as well as career counseling and services. VPOPP’s support will help Goodwill implement a solid data infrastructure to measure its impact and evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
“When public safety is your goal, you care less about chasing convictions and so much more about changing lives,” stated District Attorney Jared T. Williams on his inspiration for creating Checks Over Stripes. “The best way to reduce crime is to break the cycle of repeat offenses. Checks Over Stripes achieves that goal by helping young people stay on job sites and out of jail cells.”
The subaward comes through a Catalyst Grant earned by Goodwill. A collaboration between The Urban Institute and Microsoft Justice Reform Initiative, the Catalyst Grant Program provides organizations funding and technical assistance for local projects to use data and technology to advance racial equity and reform in the adult criminal legal system.
“We are deeply grateful for the support and guidance from VPOPP as we embark on the Checks Over Stripes program,” stated Leah Pontani, Senior Vice President of Career Development at Goodwill. “This initiative is at the heart of Goodwill’s mission to empower individuals and build stronger communities.”
The Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy (VPOPP) is a nonpartisan network of prosecutors, researchers, students, and other stakeholders dedicated to improving individual and collective outcomes in the criminal justice system. The Project supports communities that traditionally have been overlooked by national policy centers. Through trainings, research, conferences, and technical assistance, VPOPP engages criminal justice leaders, particularly prosecutors in the South, to develop and implement policies and programs that reduce unnecessary incarceration and promote public safety.
