As courts increasingly rely on data to improve services and guide decision-making, the need for a data-literate workforce has never been greater. With support from the State Justice Institute, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) developed Data Literacy for Courts, a first-of-its-kind curriculum designed specifically for court professionals. The course equips the court workforce with practical skills in data quality, statistics, visualization, governance, ethics, and the data life cycle.
Piloted in Pennsylvania and Georgia, the curriculum was refined through collaboration with courts to ensure real-world relevance and impact. This evidence-based approach produced a scalable resource that is now offered nationally through NCSC’s education programs.
The project advances SJI priorities by promoting data-driven decision-making, supporting collaboration between court leaders and data professionals, and creating a sustainable workforce development model. NCSC highlighted the curriculum during its Data Dives webinar, Future-Ready Courts: Building a Data-Literate Workforce, where data literacy was presented as a response to a key vulnerability identified in the Future Ready Courts framework: a workforce that lacks the skills to effectively use data for decision-making. The webinar featured court practitioners, instructional resources, and a companion video illustrating how data literacy can strengthen transparency, innovation, and public trust.
“I can’t overstate the role of data in our world and the importance of having the skills to understand it.”
–Kelly McClain, Data Exchange Manager, Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System
The curriculum continues to grow in reach and impact. Following a live virtual national offering in August 2026, NCSC is adapting the curriculum to include an expanded data visualization program for Nevada courts.
February 1, 2025
Behavioral health diversion is built on a guiding hypothesis: Diverting non-violent individuals with serious mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment and support services will transform lives, reduce recidivism, generate cost savings, and ease the burden on jails, courts, and state hospitals. This hypothesis has been proven in well-resourced urban …
January 1, 2025
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has brought together experts and practitioners to develop comprehensive guidance on AI Readiness for the state courts. The project, funded by SJI, aims to provide resources for courts along the whole spectrum of AI maturity, from courts that are just beginning to think about AI to courts that …
December 1, 2024
The RFK National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice (RFKNRCJJ) has used a proven framework to partner with state and local jurisdictions to conduct multiple probation and youth justice system reviews designed to improve outcomes for youth and families at-risk or involved in the juvenile justice systems for more than fifteen years. RFK’s successful technical assistance …
November 1, 2024
The Keeping Families Together: Preserving and Reunifying Families with Substance Use Disorder (KFT) project was established to refine and test a Family Recovery Court (FRC) model for child welfare-involved families with substance use disorders. In collaboration with the Williamson County Family Recovery Court, Dr. Catherine LaBrenz and her team at the University of Texas at …
October 1, 2024
The Assessment Center Outcome and Reporting Network (ACORN) initiative was established to create a more consistent performance and outcome measures for Assessment Centers (AC) nationwide. The National Assessment Center Association (NAC) in collaboration with the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) and Dr. Jeff Kretschmar, worked to support a cohort of six ACs (listed below) …
September 1, 2024
Many people who become involved in the criminal legal system experience behavioral health and social service-related needs that remain unmet throughout their system involvement. These unmet needs can result in people cycling through the system, taking a toll on their well-being and placing a burden on the system. In recognition of this challenge, jurisdictions across …