CSU's Criminal Justice and Victimization Institute to coordinate research and community partnerships

Dr. Tara Opsal, director of Colorado State University's Criminal Justice and Victimization Institute (CJVI), told commissioners that CJVI's mission is to connect university research expertise with community needs in criminal justice and victim services.

"CJVI connects students, academic researchers, community‑based practitioners across Colorado to build partnerships for research and for reform," Dr. Opsal said. She described CJVI as interdisciplinary, citing faculty affiliates from public health, sociology, criminal justice, social work and public policy, and noted a focus on grounding research in community needs rather than academic specialty alone.

Opsal outlined CJVI activities: research partnerships, program and policy evaluation, student internships and public communication of findings. She described a recent CJVI event, local collaboration with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office and an initiative to create a community advisory board. She also said CJVI will work with pretrial programs across the front range and hopes to expand internship and degree pathway opportunities that recognize practitioners' professional experience.

Presenters and commissioners characterized the county's work with CSU as a model for coordinated research, workforce development and service evaluation; commissioners praised the institute's potential to inform policy and enhance training quality. CJVI's work is at a relatively early stage and will include ongoing partnership development with county staff and other regional stakeholders.