The purpose of the Diagnostic Center is to facilitate the translation of data and research into public safety and criminal justice policy and practice at the state, local and tribal levels. Diagnostic Center engagements with communities address a particular public safety concern of the community, but interaction with the Diagnostic Center is intended to build community capacity to use data to make evidence-based decisions (current and future) about criminal justice and public safety. Specifically, a Diagnostic Center engagement is constructed to facilitate a public safety executive’s (or state or local government policy maker’s) ability to collect and use local data to understand the criminal justice issues his or her agency faces, use data to make decisions about programs and practices, and support efforts to integrate data and evidence into policies to promote public safety.

The Diagnostic Center brings together expertise from across the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to deliver highly customized products and services adapted specifically for each community with whom we engage, including:

• Diagnosis services developed using qualitative and quantitative analysis, such as:
  • Crime assessments and process improvement assessments
  • Synthesis of criminal justice, juvenile justice, and victim services data from multiple stakeholder groups
  • Decision-making support for leaders who must choose which data-driven solution provides the best model for their community
  • Community-specific diagnosis case reports that summarize the findings of our in-depth assessment of a community’s public safety issue of concern and recommendations of evidence-based programs and practices to consider

• Assistance in implementing strategies, such as:
  • Strategy development and implementation plans
  • Facilitation of peer-to-peer learning and relationships
  • Tools and Diagnostic Center publications including customized resources for communities, click here
  • Training and technical assistance for practitioners on how to build community coalitions, maintain program fidelity, and measure impact achieved through implementation of data-driven strategies

Additional evidence-based tools and resources.