Learn about recently released BJA publications. Information includes a summary of the publication and links to the various file formats.

What is a Community Court? How the Model is Being Adapted Across the United States (PDF)
BJA and the Center for Court Innovation, November 2011
There are dozens of community courts in the U.S. and around the world. This paper explains how they’ve adapted key principles of problem-solving justice—such as enhanced information, community engagement, collaboration, and accountability—to local conditions.

Volunteers in Police Service Add Value While Budgets Decrease (PDF)
BJA and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), November 2011
This publication recognizes the current state of law enforcement budgets and provides suggestions on ways to integrate volunteers to allow sworn and civilian staff to focus on more pressing law enforcement matters. Also includes program profiles that offer innovative ideas and activities in law enforcement volunteer programs.

Statewide Coordination of Problem-Solving Courts: A Snapshot of Five States (PDF)
BJA and the Center for Court Innovation, October 2011
This fact sheet describes the goals five states—California, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, and New York—are pursuing as they coordinate their problem-solving courts.

A Ten-Step Guide to Transforming Probation Departments to Reduce Recidivism (PDF)
BJA and the Council of State Governments Justice Center, August 2011
This guide provides probation leaders with a roadmap to overhaul the operations of their agencies so they can increase public safety in their communities and improve rates of compliance among people they are supervising.

Leadership Development for Jail Administration
BJA, the Center for Innovative Public Policies, the American Jail Association, and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, June 2011
With funding from BJA, the Center for Innovative Public Policies, the American Jail Association, and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, Sam Houston State University developed several tools to enable jails to successfully develop and implement their own leadership development and succession planning initiatives.

Bulletproof Vest Partnership Initiative (PDF)
BJA, Updated June 2011
This fact sheet describes the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to provide critical resources to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions for the sole purpose of purchasing bullet-resistant body armor for sworn law enforcement officers.

Desktop Guide for Tribal Probation Personnel: The Screening and Assessment Process (PDF)
BJA and the American Probation & Parole Association, May 2011
This guide is intended to provide tribal probation personnel with information on how the screening and assessment process can facilitate and promote offender accountability and long-term behavior change.

Reentry Courts: Looking Ahead: A Conversation about Strategies for Offender Reintegration (PDF)
BJA and the Center for Court Innovation, April 2011
This report summarizes a discussion of reentry courts among policymakers, court practitioners, and parole and probation administrators. The conversation, which was sponsored by BJA in June 2010, focuses on reentry courts' achievements, challenges, and future prospects.

State of the Science of Pretrial Risk Assessment (PDF)
BJA and the Pretrial Justice Institute, March 2011
In June 2010, the Pretrial Justice Institute and BJA convened a meeting of researchers and practitioners to discuss the current state of the science and practice of pretrial justice. This document summarizes the key points that came out of that discussion and what leaders in the field identified as significant next steps in advancing the administration of pretrial justice, ensuring efficient and effective release and detention decisions for pretrial defendants, managing defendant risk through appropriate and specific conditions of release, and balancing the rights of defendants with community safety.

Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery (PDF)
BJA, November 2010
This fact sheet describes the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Program, which recognizes individuals who have exhibited exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind, and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of their own personal safety, in an attempt to save or protect human life.

FY 2009 Annual Report to Congress (HTML or PDF)
BJA, July 2010
This annual report describes the mission, goals, and funding and technical assistance that BJA provided to state and local criminal justice systems in FY 2009 to support initiatives in every area of the justice system. The online version provides a wealth of information in an easily accessible and transparent format to keep our partners and community members informed on how we have used the funds entrusted to us to promote positive changes and advancements in local justice systems.