Chapter 10: Following the Pilot

Illustrations of Pilot Sites’ Contributions to Statewide EBDM Efforts
An important step on the EBDM Phase III roadmap is sharing information about the benefits of the EBDM approach with in-state colleagues. The following highlights some of the ways EBDM pilot sites engaged their colleagues and catalyzed expansion of EBDM to additional counties within their states, and at the state level.

  • EBDM team members from Eau Claire and Milwaukee counties laid the groundwork for EBDM expansion in Wisconsin in a variety of ways. For example, representatives from Eau Claire County have presented on EBDM to 45 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties in various forums. Representatives from Milwaukee County have hosted numerous colleagues interested in learning from their EBDM experiences. Both Wisconsin pilot sites played a critical role in Wisconsin’s participation in Phase IV, and ultimately the expansion of EBDM in the state through Phase V. They also serve as members of the Wisconsin State EBDM Phase V and VI Policy Team and on the state team’s work groups.
  • The interest of Grant County, Indiana, in a data dashboard led to their engagement with the Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Technology for assistance with its development. Using Grant County’s dashboard as a prototype, the Supreme Court has since implemented a version for all Indiana judges to help them manage case processing times for civil and criminal cases. Similarly, identification of concerns by Grant County team members with pretrial assessment resulted in a dialogue between local officials and state-level partners, particularly the Indiana Supreme Court which, in December 2013, established a committee (which includes Grant County representatives) tasked with exploring the need for and avenues to improve pretrial practices in Indiana. Grant County’s involvement in EBDM led to the state’s participation in Phase IV, the formation of the Indiana State EBDM Policy Team, and the expansion of EBDM to six additional counties in Indiana in Phase V. Indiana’s Phase VI EBDM work will focus in large part on statewide pretrial reform.
  • EBDM policy team members from Charlottesville/Albemarle County, Virginia, provided multiple presentations on EBDM to state officials and other local stakeholders and at professional association meetings throughout the state. Policy team members met with state officials to encourage Virginia’s participation in Phase IV and provided valuable information and assistance in the development of the state’s application. The team continues with their work of actively implementing the EBDM principles and serves as a model for communities across Virginia. Some of its representatives also serve as capacity builders to facilitate understanding of EBDM and have assisted other Virginia-based teams in roadmap activities. Two of their policy team members are part of the Virginia State EBDM Policy Team and have taken a leadership role in working on two of the state’s key change targets (responses to probation noncompliance and the alignment of pretrial policies with research evidence).

Starting in 2013, NIC shifted its focus to expanding the use of the EBDM Framework beyond single, local jurisdictions. The goal of Phase IV of the EBDM initiative was to equip and build capacity within interested, participating EBDM states to expand their EBDM efforts to include additional local jurisdictions and state-level colleagues. In Phase IV, NIC and its EBDM partners worked closely with state-level planning teams in five states—Colorado, Indiana, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin. These teams conducted exploratory analyses of their policies, practices, and capacity to collect and analyze data; took steps to gauge the level of interest in and understanding of EBDM across their respective states; and conducted EBDM awareness-building activities. As a result of these activities, each state-level planning team identified a strategic alignment of state and local partners to support the advancement of EBDM within their state.

In November 2014, Indiana, Virginia, and Wisconsin were selected, on a competitive basis, to work in partnership with NIC on Phase V of the initiative. The goal of Phase V was to advance criminal justice system outcomes throughout communities in their states. As in the previous phases, jurisdictions received technical assistance from NIC and its partners to conduct a series of planning activities, with the goal of implementing systemwide change strategies to align local and state jurisdictions with one another and with the principles of EBDM. The following 21 teams participated in Phase V of the EBDM initiative:

  • Indiana: State EBDM policy team, Bartholomew County, Hamilton County, Hendricks County, Jefferson County, Porter County, Tipton County;
  • Virginia: State EBDM policy team, Chesterfield/Colonial Heights, Norfolk, Petersburg, Prince William County/Manassas/Manassas Park, Richmond, Staunton/Augusta County/Waynesboro; and
  • Wisconsin: State EBDM policy team, Chippewa County, La Crosse County, Marathon County, Outagamie County, Rock County, Waukesha County.

In September 2016, NIC announced that it would continue to provide some level of support to each of the three states as they move to Phase VI and implement their action plans in accordance with the Phase VI roadmap. In Indiana, NIC technical assistance will include a special focus on developing a high functioning pretrial justice system at the state and local levels.