Develops new and innovative policies, programs, plans, and initiatives to assist OJJDP in understanding populations of youth involved in, or at-risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system. Identifies gaps and limitations in data on youth populations, significant trends, and opportunities for increased data collection and/or data improvements at the federal, state, local and tribal levels.
Conducts reviews and assessments of existing research and makes recommendations about practical utility and dissemination to the field. Assesses all phases of research projects, including problem definition, planning, execution, analysis, reporting and interpretation of findings, including oral and/or written reviews of completed work.
Maintains familiarity with ongoing developments in the juvenile justice research, evaluation and data to ensure that office planning, policies and programs are well-grounded in current scientific knowledge and methods. Maintains familiarity with emerging trends in juvenile justice, new systems, and developing programs, including issues related to data collection, automated data systems, and methods of protecting confidentiality of juvenile records.
Reviews and analyzes policy, regulatory, and research documents, reporting requirements, forms, reports, and proposals to determine their consistency with office priorities or proposed programmatic elements. Determines the intent of the proposal, anticipates the potential impact of the proposal, analyzes implementation strategy, options and/or recommendations, and submits findings to the OJJDP Administrator.
Serves as a consultant and expert advisor on research and evaluation projects and studies that encompass a wide range of advanced social and behavioral science topics including methods, research, study design and statistical analyses. Serves as a subject-matter expert on OJJDP's juvenile delinquency and victimization data at the Federal, State, local and tribal levels. Serves as liaison to professional research and evaluation organizations. Serves as liaison to other Federal research and statistical agencies on national level social and behavioral science programs and data collections of mutual interest and concern.
Evaluates and completes analyses of complex juvenile justice policies and programs, proposed program modifications and reforms, demonstration program models, and policy changes to evaluate their actual or potential ability to make improvements in understanding the scope, trends, and outcomes of juvenile offender and victim populations.
