Trust, Influence, and Impact in 2024

In 2024, the reach of and demand for the Criminal Justice (CJ) team’s policy expertise allowed them to solidify their strong reputation as a nonpartisan, pragmatic resource. They published research papers tackling issues across the ecosystem—from homelessness and bail system changes to police data transparency, de-escalation training, and juvenile violence intervention.

The team’s work centered around trust, which is essential to achieving policy impact. The unique position RSI holds within the criminal justice policy space helps the CJ team bridge values commonly associated with right-of-center perspectives while still collaborating effectively with the left, affording the team opportunities like directly assisting the City of Tacoma, Washington, training city leaders in Washington, D.C., and giving presentations with on-the-ground deflection program representatives and to new state lawmakers. The CJ team also hosted a diverse convening of prosecutors from around the country.

Throughout 2024, the team regularly engaged with local and national media outlets, ranging from MSNBC, The New York Times, and USA Today; to C-SPAN, the Associated Press, and NewsNation; to Fox News, the New York Post, and the Washington Examiner.

All of this work led to impact in 2024, such as when President Biden signed The Recruit and Retain Act into law, which RSI endorsed and supported on Capitol Hill. This legislation allows Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program grants to be used for recruitment and retention purposes, including grants that help reduce fees, cover administrative costs, and support partnerships between law enforcement agencies and local educational institutions, as well as directing a comprehensive Government Accountability Office study on recruitment and retention trends and challenges.