Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #19 - Excellence in Juvenile Justice Policy and Practice | Article 8 (ACJ19-A008)

Article 8: An Evidence-Informed Way Forward: Building Research Capacity at Texas Juvenile Justice Department (ACJ19-A008) by Rosemary Ricciardelli, Evan Norton, Claire Boudrot & Alejandro Ramirez-Cano

Abstract

There are two purposes to every employee, to do their work and to improve how their work is done. At Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), the desire to support the youth and employees runs deep into the organization. To better able TJJD to support the youth and staff, we strove to develop a research strategy that 1) provides usable evidence to inform practices and respond to identifiedneeds while 2) building a research capacity within the organization that enables change from within to address the complexities TJJD faces now, in 2025. In the current article, we detail our strategy, outlining how data collection is to be streamlined to fight survey and analysis fatigue and increase effectiveness, how research is to include mixed methods approaches, and how we will build research capacity by empowering the frontline through MicroResearch. The benefits to the operations of TJJD, for the youth, and for the staff are discussed.

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Authors

Rosemary Ricciardelli

Professor, Research Chair, Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Fisheries and Marine Institute, Canada

Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli is Professor (PhD) and Research Chair in Safety, Security, and Wellness, at Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Fisheries and Marine Institute. The winner of the 2023 International Corrections and Prison Association’s Research Excellence Award, the 2023 Canadian Sociological Association’s Angus Reid Applied Researcher Award, and the 2024 International Community Justice Association’s President’s Award, Ricciardelli was also elected to the Royal Society of Canada and is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Her research centers on evolving understandings of health, gender, and vulnerabilities within different facets of the public safety systems. Her interests lay in the social health, identity construction, and lived experiences of individuals. She leads a longitudinal study on the mental health and well-being experiences of correctional officers employed by Correctional Services Canada. She also works in partnership on a research project with the Uganda Prison Service and contributes to MicroResearch International.

Evan Norton

Deputy Executive Director , Texas Juvenile Justice Department, United States

Dr. Evan Norton, Psy.D, serves as Deputy Executive Director for TJJD where he oversees the probation, parole, integrated treatment, medical and research divisions. Dr. Norton is a licensed clinical forensic psychologist practicing in the state of Texas. He is recognized as an expert in treatment for violent offending, risk assessment, and trauma-informed programming. He has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as psychopathy, interpersonal acceptance-rejection, and psychometrics. He is frequently called to present and testify in court proceedings. He was a decorated college athlete, having accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Concordia University, Irvine where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He completed his master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Forensic Psychology at Alliant International University, San Diego. Norton completed his post-doctoral training at the McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility, in Mart, and served as the Director of Clinical Services at the Giddings State School before moving into agency-wide leadership roles.

Claire Boudrot

Manager of Research, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, United States

Claire Boudrot, M.S, is the Manager of Research for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. In her role, she oversees all research operations – including surveys, focus groups, interviews with staff and youth, etc. She has presented research on staff recruitment, retention, and turnover at multiple U.S. national conferences. Prior to her work at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Claire earned her Master of Science in Applied Sociology from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas where her research centered around all facets of social deviance. Claire started with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department in fall of 2022 as a graduate intern before moving up through the research department and into a full-time managerial role.

Alejandro Ramirez

Data & Research Analyst, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, United States

Alejandro Ramirez serves as a Data & Research Analyst with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s Central Support team in Austin, Texas. Since starting his journey with the agency in January of 2022, he has engaged in several research projects that support the agency’s mission of public safety and youth rehabilitation through the collection and conversion of data into meaningful stories, presenting research nationally on incarcerated youth with capital offenses and evolving challenges in juvenile justice (including adverse childhood experiences, mental health diagnoses, and educational barriers). His interests center around collaborating with practitioners to generate insights that make positive, tangible impacts. A member of Alpha Kappa Delta International Honor Society of Sociology, Alejandro received his bachelor of science in Applied Sociology, summa cum laude, from Texas State University in San Marcos. When not working, Alejandro enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing sports, and watching movies.

Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #19 - Excellence in Juvenile Justice Policy and Practice | Article 8 (ACJ19-A008)

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