The beginning of each calendar year is a great time to assess and refine your organization’s values and priorities; especially as you embark on the collaborative implementation of evidence-based practices to promote positive change for everyone in Pennsylvania.

Whether implementing change in your agency or in your community, the power of working with others to meet your goal(s) not only produces better outcomes, it increases productivity, reduces miscommunications, improves tracking and reporting, builds trust, and makes the process more effective for everyone.

Building and Sustaining an EBP Organization

“Building and Sustaining an EBP Organization” checklist is a simple, yet comprehensive, evaluation tool designed to help justice professionals identify:

● Knowledge and support of evidence-based decision making

● Existing evidence-based practices

● Tools and processes for measuring outcomes

● Next steps and action planning

Once your agency checklist is complete, common goals are set, and the action plan is in motion, you are in a better position to collaborate with other justice professionals for greater community well-being and safety.

Get the Right People at the Table

The Pennsylvania Partnership for Criminal Justice Improvement (PPCJI) exists because a group of justice professionals believe in the power of collaborative evidence-based practices to improve community well-being and safety. These individuals came to the table, identified a common goal, and recognized it would take all of them, working together, to achieve that goal.

As an agency involved in PPCJI, you are in a prime position to get the right people in your community at the table, establish common goals, and work together to best meet your community needs. Tips for achieving effective collaboration are available for your reference in our EBP briefs.

“COLLABORATION is the exchange of information, the altering of activities, the sharing of resources, and the enhancement of the capacity of another for the mutual benefit of all and to achieve a COMMON PURPOSE.”

—Chris Huxman, Collaborative Advantages

 York County Prison, Reimagined

Creating a place that changes lives and communities for the better while simultaneously meeting public safety needs was something staff at York County Prison envisioned and believed to be possible.

With the support of their board and collaboration with numerous justice agencies and community partners, York County Prison is successfully providing quality education and evidence-based treatment programs to increase the probability of successful community reentry.

Details about York County Prison’s evidence-based programs, community partnerships, calming art installations, positive repurposing of spaces within their facility, and reduced use of force are outlined in Voices From the Field.

Positive change is possible for everyone in Pennsylvania. We look forward to continuing to enhance your EBP knowledge and invite you to submit education/resource requests to askppcji@gmail.com.

We’re also interested in hearing and sharing how you’re achieving success through collaboration. Send us an email with a few details about your success(es) and someone will contact you to get more information.

February Focus: Assessments—a key tool for improving decision making and outcomes across the justice system.