The WestEd Justice & Prevention Research Center researchers bring expertise to significant questions and issues related to justice, crime prevention, and safety for children and young adults. For example, questions and issues such as:
- Determinants and consequences of urban gun violence and public health approaches to prevent high-risk young men from involvement in gangs and violence
- The role police officers play in school and whether their presence may be associated with youth—particularly boys of color—involvement with the formal juvenile justice system for offenses that schools normally handle internally
- Bullying and victimization (reported and unreported)
The majority of our work involves conducting policy-relevant and methodologically sound research studies for key decision-makers, including government officials, foundation staff, faculty and researchers, and practitioners.
We typically engage with clients and stakeholders in a dynamic inquiry process to identify the most appropriate analytic methods for their needs and that produce accurate and reliable results.
With an eye toward a rigorous research and non-partisan approach, our researchers use a number of methodologies and study designs to help clients and stakeholders assess capacity and implementation, examine outcomes, and measure impact. We conduct process, implementation, and impact evaluations; systematic reviews and meta-analyses of existing studies; qualitative data analyses; quantitative analyses using secondary data sets; and scans of current practice and policy.
See our list of funders.
