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IGSR Reports

By Topic

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Institute for Governmental Service and Research (IGSR)

By Topic

Comparative Studies

Drug Courts

  • Drug Courts in Maryland: An Assessment of Drug Court Enhancements and Recent Trends in Eleven Adult Drug Courts
    (2015)

     

  • Consent2Share
    (2015)

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been working with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to develop standards and guidelines for enabling data segmentation and management of patient consent preferences. This partnership led to the creation of Consent2Share, an open source tool for consent management and data segmentation designed to integrate with existing electronic health records (EHR) and health information exchange systems. IGSR worked with Prince George's County Health Department under a nationally competitive agreement with SAMHSA to pilot the exchange of sensitive health information among behavioral and physical health providers through the implementation of Consent2Share within their current regional data exchange and EHR infrastructure. The successful pilot supported the SAMHSA/ONC initiative and provided Prince George's County patients meaningful choices for sharing their health information.

     

  • Measuring Drug Court Structure and Operations: Key Components and Beyond
    (Publication: Criminal Justice and Behavior, 37: 933-950)
    (2010)

     

  • Criminal Recidivism in Three Models of Mandatory Drug Treatment
    (Publication: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27: 313-323)
    (2004)

Health and Aging

Health Information and Technology

  • Wealth and the Health of Older Black Women in the United States
    (Publication: Oxford University Press)
    (2018)

     

  • Use of Advanced Computer Analytics to Research Substance Use Disorder Treatment
    (2015)

    Through a seed grant from the University of Maryland Division of Research, IGSR and University of Maryland's Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) are exploring the use of next generation computer analytic methods to study outcomes of substance use disorder treatment. This in-depth retrospective analysis employs an existing database of client treatment records in the State of Maryland Automated Tracking (SMART) system and enables researchers to examine how multiple client and treatment variables affect the outcome of therapy. The project will test the use of cutting-edge computer analytic tools to gain insights regarding treatment of heroin addiction.

     

  • Use of Virtual Reality Technology in Treatment of Reentering Offenders
    (2015)

    IGSR and University of Maryland's Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research (CAPER) are testing the use of avatar-assisted therapy for substance use disorder treatment with individuals reentering the community from incarceration. This innovative pilot study, funded by a seed grant from the University's Division of Research, will not only serve to generate valuable preliminary data for future investigations, but also lay the foundation for future substance use disorder interventions geared toward providing greater accessibility and retention among individuals of this highly stigmatized, vulnerable population.

     

  • Evaluation of the AVATAR Substance Abuse Treatment Program
    (2012)

    Outpatient substance use disorder treatment typically entails a series of sessions held between a counselor and clients for the purpose of supporting sobriety and recovery. Although outpatient treatment programs offer greater affordability, flexibility, and privacy than traditional inpatient programs, significant barriers to treatment remain including negative social attitudes and inaccessibility of treatment. Avatar-assisted therapy, a newly developed interactive online treatment platform, seeks to address these barriers. Maryland's Behavioral Health Administration in collaboration with a private treatment provider piloted use of avatar-assisted treatment for individuals with substance use disorders, and IGSR is evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program.

     

  • Planning and Implementation Analysis: Pilot Programs for Video Conferencing of Inmate Grievance Appeal Hearings
    (2011)

     

  • Follow-Up Evaluation of the Electronic Filing Pilot Project Prince George's County District Court
    (2010)

     

  • Maryland Office of Problem-Solving Courts and SMART
    (2008)

    IGSR is providing, operating, and maintaining software and hardware, as well as providing the training and technical support required for the implementation of the Statewide Maryland Automated Record Tracking system (SMART) as the case management automated tracking system for all drug courts in Maryland.

     

  • Statewide Maryland Automated Record Tracking System (SMART)
    (2008)

    IGSR, with funding from the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), is customizing, programming, enhancing, implementing, supporting, managing, and maintaining a Statewide Maryland Automated Record Tracking system (SMART) based upon the federal Web Infrastructure for Treatment Services (WITS) project. SMART programming includes additions and modifications to existing WITS screens, database structure, and functionality necessary to meet BHA data and outcome tracking within Maryland. The WITS project is a federally developed software package that has modules that aid states receiving Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Federal Block Grant Funding in the collection and coordination of treatment episode data. The data are needed for BHA reporting to the Health and Human Services/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is the SAPT Block Grant funding source. The SMART software and system are designed to track data the state collects in the federal Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) format and allow BHA to meet federal data submission requirements from the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

     

  • Information to Power Innovation in Maryland (IPIM) Substance Abuse Treatment
    (2008)


    In the Information to Power Innovation in Maryland (IPIM) project, IGSR researchers developed and tested a substance-abuse practice improvement system in several treatment provider sites around the state. The Feedback Assessment and Capabilities System (FACS) employed data available from the SMART IT system and organizational surveys administered to managers and staff. Program administrators and staff in four sites participated in a training workshop devoted to reviewing their site's FACS results regarding use of evidence-based practices and organizational strengths and weaknesses. Workshop attendees developed action plans to address the FACS results. Researchers tracked staff participation in the protocol and progress on action plans compared the impacts of the protocol at the four experimental sites and four control sites on client retention, staff-reported practices, and organizational measures of effectiveness.

Justice Administration

Juvenile Justice

Local Government

  • What Influences Success of Small Local Government Amalgamations: A Comparison of Cases in Thailand and the United States
    (2021)

     

  • Assessing the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASEAN) via the Quintuple Helix Innovation Framework, with Special Regard to Smart City Discourse, Civil Participation, and Environmental Performance
    (Publication: International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, DOI:10.1080/19463138.2020.1827411)
    (2020)

     

  • Greenbelt Community Survey
    (2019)

    IGSR assisted the City of Greenbelt with its community-wide survey in 2019, which was made available at the poll for early voting and at voting precincts on Election Day. The survey was also published twice in the local newspaper and available online on the City website. Institute staff tabulated responses from 1,150 residents and reported results in a document entitled City of Greenbelt, Maryland Results of 2019 Community Questionnaire.

     

  • Facilitation Services For The City Of Annapolis
    (2018)

    In December of 2018, IGSR facilitated a half-day retreat for the City of Annapolis. The session was attended by the Mayor and the Chief of Staff, the City Council, and the City Manager. Institute staff led the City's leadership team through a series of activities focused on team-building.

     

  • Greenbelt Community Survey
    (2017)

    IGSR assisted the City of Greenbelt with its community-wide survey in 2017, which was made available at the poll for early voting and at voting precincts on Election Day. The survey was also published twice in the local newspaper and available online on the City website. Institute staff tabulated responses from 1,360 residents and reported results in a document entitled City of Greenbelt, Maryland Results of 2017 Community Questionnaire.

     

  • Strategic Planning for the Town of Berwyn Heights
    (2016)

    In October and November of 2016, IGSR personnel met with the Mayor, Council Members, and staff from the Town of Berwyn Heights to initiate a strategic planning process establishing town priorities and actions items. After working through a visioning process and prioritizing action items, town members agreed to a series of next steps to build on the town's reputation as an attractive, close-knit community near both Washington, D.C. and numerous recreational amenities.

     

  • Parks and Grounds Operation Review City of Bowie, MD
    (2011)

     

  • Strategic Planning Process Design and Facilitation for the Town of Bel Air
    (2011)

    The Town of Bel Air enlisted IGSR to design and facilitate a strategic planning process to implement changes to their 2006-2011 Strategic Plan. A three-step process was designed that included pre-planning phases to the draft review and approval phase by the Town Board of Commissioners. Facilitation included conducting focus groups, goal setting, designing implementation strategies, developing a Strategic Plan Steering Committee, and the development of a draft plan for public review and approval.

     

  • Methodologies and Estimates of the Fiscal Impact of New Developments and Annexations on Municipal Governments
    (2007)

Mental Health Courts

Offender Treatment and Re-Entry

  • Process Evaluation of Call-in Meetings Conducted in Maryland under Project Safe Neighborhoods
    (2016)

     

  • Outcome Evaluation of Call-in Meetings Conducted in Maryland under Project Safe Neighborhoods
    (2016)

     

  • Evaluation of Community Conferencing Programs
    (2016)

    Community conferencing (CC) is a conflict resolution and restorative justice process in which people involved in a conflict participate in a facilitated meeting to discuss the conflict and reach an agreement that will repair any harm that is done. In Maryland, CC is being used in lieu of the traditional court process to bring together youth involved in conflicts that may involve or elevate to crimes such as assault or theft. Researchers at IGSR, in collaboration with the Maryland Judiciary, Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), investigated how CC is being used for juvenile cases in programs in Baltimore City and Baltimore County and outcomes for youth who participated in the CC process. The study employed interviews with the directors, staff, and stakeholders of CC programs and analysis of program and delinquency data, including a comparison of CC participants with juvenile justice-involved youth who did not take part in community conferencing. IGSR researchers found that CC helped impede youths' deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system and that participation was associated with lower rates of recidivism, particularly for females. Findings also showed the program has promise as a means of addressing the extensive racial disparities evident in the juvenile justice system. The study report documents these findings and concludes with recommendations for continued analysis and support of CC for youth who are or may become involved in the state's juvenile system.

     

  • Evaluation of Second Chance Act Technology Careers Grant Program
    (2014)

    IGSR conducted a process and outcome evaluation of the Second Chance Act Technology Careers Program implemented by Maryland Correctional Education within the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR), under a grant from the U.S. (Bureau of Justice Assistance. The program, located at the Maryland Correctional Training Center (MCTC), enabled inmates being released to Baltimore City to obtain Desktop User Specialist (DUS) certificates and letters of recognition as Administrative Assistants. To conduct this evaluation, IGSR created data collection tools for the correctional facility and a follow-up service provider, Our Daily Bread Employment Center (ODBEC). Using data provided by DLLR, MCTC, and the service providers, the evaluation team found that participating inmates were very satisfied with the program. In addition, among those released and engaged by ODBEC, 62% were placed into an internship, and 87% were employed. Finally, among the 12 DUS participants released at least one year prior to the end the program, 92% did not return to prison during the year.

     

  • Safe Streets Grant Evaluation
    (2014)

    Researchers at IGSR are evaluating a Safe Streets initiative of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation funded by a grant from the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. The initiative creates Reentry Services Workgroups and Reentry Resource Guides to monitor and support recently released offenders. Partner agencies and program stakeholders include the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Howard County Detention Center, Salisbury Police Department, and Hagerstown Police Department. IGSR researchers will assist the partners in identifying appropriate performance measures and implementing processes for tracking performance.

     

  • Effects of Organizational Factors On Use of Juvenile Supervision Practices
    (Publication: Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38: 565-583)
    (2011)

     

  • Associations Among State and Local Organizational Contexts: Use of Evidence-Based Practices in the Criminal Justice System
    (Publication: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 103: 23-32)
    (2009)

     

  • Filling Service Gaps: Providing Intensive Treatment Services for Offenders
    (Publication: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 103: 33-42)
    (2009)

     

  • A Rasch Model Analysis of Evidence-Based Treatment Practices Used in the Criminal Justice System
    (Publication: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 93: 163-175)
    (2008)

     

  • A National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment for Juvenile Offenders
    (Publication: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 32: 255-266)
    (2007)

     

  • Program Use of Effective Drug Abuse Treatment Practices for Juvenile Offenders
    (Publication: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 32: 279-290)
    (2007)

     

  • The National Criminal Justice Treatment Practices Survey: Multilevel Methods and Procedures
    (Publication: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 32: 225-238)
    (2007)

     

  • Proactive Community Supervision in Maryland: Changing Offender Outcomes
    (2006)

     

  • Criminal Recidivism in Three Models of Mandatory Drug Treatment
    (Publication: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27: 313-323)
    (2004)

     

  • Understanding Spirituality in Community Programming
    (2004)

Problem-Solving Courts

Public Health

Public Safety