Justice Reinvestment Initiative (Fact Sheet)

The bipartisan Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) was created by Congress in 2010 to enhance public safety through targeted work with states and criminal justice agencies. Justice Reinvestment Initiatives include agency-spanning data analysis; development and implementation of data-driven, tailored solutions to address complicated criminal justice challenges; and coordination with states to maximize resources to achieve stronger and safer communities. States that have used JRI saw, on average, a 38 percent drop in crime rates between 2008 and 2023 and a 10 percent decrease in recidivism between 2008 and 2019.

2025 | The Council of State Governments Justice Center
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