Advancing Research in Corrections Lab
Studying correctional systems as they operate and how they can work better.
The Advancing Research in Corrections (ARC) Lab, based in the UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, conducts applied and theoretical research on institutional corrections, community corrections, and reentry.
Our work focuses on analyzing real-world correctional systems using rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods. Rather than studying policy in the abstract, we examine how policies, practices, and programs function in context, using data to evaluate outcomes, identify gaps, and inform more effective, equitable, and transparent approaches to corrections.
What We Study
ARC focuses on key areas within corrections, with an emphasis on applied research:
Criminological Theory
Theoretical perspectives that help explain behavior, institutional dynamics, and system change.
Decision-Making
How choices are shaped by individual, social, and environmental factors over time.
Gangs & Gang Membership
Identification, behavior, management, and system-level responses.
Institutional & Community Corrections
How systems operate and affect populations across custody and supervision.
Program Evaluation
Assessing correctional interventions, programs, and services.
Reentry & Desistance
Outcomes, barriers, and pathways following release.
Restrictive Housing
Use, conditions, and consequences within correctional settings.
Risk-Needs Assessment
Development of assessment tools tailored to the operational needs of adult and juvenile justice agencies.
Across these areas, the lab prioritizes research that is methodologically rigorous and directly relevant to policy and practice.
The ARC Lab Team
ARC brings together faculty, research staff, and graduate researchers working on shared questions about correctional policy, practice, and outcomes. The lab operates as a collaborative research environment where projects are developed, analyzed, and carried forward across teams.
Lab members contribute to ongoing research, engage with applied data, and participate in work that connects academic research to policy and practice in corrections.
Research and Collaboration
ARC works closely with SCCJ faculty, the Nebraska Center for Justice Research (NCJR), the Juvenile Justice Institute (JJI), and a range of community, state, and federal partners. These collaborations allow the lab to conduct research using administrative data, collect primary data, evaluate active programs, and contribute to ongoing policy discussions.
Graduate students in the lab are involved in this work as part of ongoing projects, gaining experience with applied data, research design, and evaluation in real-world correctional contexts.
