Examining Proposals by Princeton Independent Research, Delivered to Congressmember Bush
In a recent SPIA task force last semester, Ryan Champeau, a Social Sciences Correspondent, delved into the world of criminal justice policy research at Princeton University. The course, "Rethinking Criminal Justice: Policy Responses to Mass Incarceration," brought together students and experts from various fields to study and improve the criminal justice system using open data and evidence-based tools.
Ryan's paper focused on implicit racial biases within the pretrial system and ways to limit these biases. He was initially apprehensive about taking the course due to a lack of academic experience in the incarceration field. However, his passion for criminal justice, bolstered by his work with a non-profit in Newark, propelled him to take on the challenge.
The professor for the course was Udi Ofer, Director of the ACLU's Justice Division. Under Ofer's guidance, Ryan conducted extensive research, interviewing professionals from The Bail Project and Arnold Ventures for insights on his topic.
Throughout the task force, Ryan's experience reinforced the idea that real change can be made through independent research or at Princeton more generally. He encourages students to take advantage of new classes, opportunities, and inspiring professors at Princeton.
The culmination of Ryan's hard work was a presentation of his policy solutions to Congressmember Cori Bush in Washington D.C. Participating in such a Task Force offers networking opportunities, exposure to cutting-edge research and methodologies, and the ability to influence future criminal justice policies through informed, data-driven insights.
Being involved in a Task Force at Princeton means engaging in interdisciplinary research and policy dialogues that leverage open data for impactful criminal justice reforms, with the added benefits of professional growth, collaboration, and contributing to systemic improvements. The outcomes often culminate in reports or roadmaps that guide ongoing and future collaborations, enhancing the collective impact on criminal justice reform and transparency.
In his junior paper, Ryan Champeau explored the issue of implicit racial biases within the pretrial system, a project that was initiated during a Task Force course at Princeton University focused on criminal justice policy. As a senior, he is now working on his senior thesis, further delving into education-and-self-development opportunities provided by online-education platforms to expand his knowledge and impact in the field of criminal justice.
