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                            Library & Multimedia
 What Does It Take to Make Collaboration Work? Lessons Learned Through the Criminal Justice System Project
NCJ Number
              204517
Journal

*NIJ Journal* Issue: 251 Dated: July 2004 Pages: 8-13
Date Published

July 2004
Length
              6 pages
Publication Series
          NIJ Journal
Annotation
              This article presents the top 12 lessons learned through the National Institute of Corrections, Criminal Justice System Project assisting State and local policymakers in using a collaborative approach in developing criminal justice policy.
Abstract
              Research indicates that collaboration is worth the investment. To help State and local policymakers develop a method of working together and show them the value of a collaborative approach and of system-wide strategic thinking in developing criminal justice system policy, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) established the Criminal Justice System Project (CJSP). This article presents 12 practical tips gained from the CJSP on collaboration and how to make the collaborative process more effective. These lessons learned were obtained from an evaluation of the CJSP funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Highlights of the top 12 lessons learned include: (1) ensure that the people or the group in charge is officially sanctioned and authorized to make decisions; (2) ensure that the collaboration team is committed to the project/process; (3) team members need to create a collective vision; (4) teach and help team members to ask the right questions, collect and interpret data, and use data; (5) teach team members how to collaborate; (6) provide team members with some structure for completing the project/process; (7) lay out, inform, and educate team members about the specific steps of the project/process at the beginning; (8) identify project/process outcomes, goals, and midterm milestones early on; (9) help policy teams identify and define their long-term priority or strategic issues early on; (10) ensure that leadership roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and that meetings and overall process are facilitated effectively; (11) ensure that policy teams have the staff support and resources needed; and (12) communicate continuously the next steps and activities in the process and their rationale. These lessons are helpful to any criminal justice professionals involved in criminal justice problem-solving and willing to commit to collaboration.
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        97-IJ-CX-0056


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Report (Study/Research)
    
  
  
Date Published: July 1, 2004
    
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