Interviews


BetaGov Interviews

Angela Hawken in conversation with Milan Vaishnav on "BetaGov and How It's Revolutionising Research"

Posted:   September 25, 2018

Angela Hawken, Professor, New York University in conversation with Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on "BetaGov and How It's Revolutionising Research". (video)


The Importance of Good Data: Angela Hawken

Posted:   September 25, 2018

Why are randomized control trial evaluations so important for justice innovation? (video)



Practitioner Interviews

Interview with Karyn Milligan – Santa Barbara Co. (CA) Probation Department

Posted on November 18, 2019     By BetaGov

Karyn recently led a trial to test text-message reminders for probation appointments. The trial was planned to include random assignment of 146 clients on probation to either receive a text-message reminder or not, and the outcome was whether the client attended the appointment... (cont'd)


BetaGov spotlight: Rich Johnston, Barrie (Ont.) Police Service

Posted on October 15, 2019     By BetaGov

Rich Johnston has been a sworn officer for 21 years, first with the Ontario Provincial Police in Northern Ontario, then, since 1998, with the Barrie Police Service. Rich currently holds the rank of Inspector and oversees the... (cont'd)


Interview with Debra Sahd

Posted on August 29, 2019     By BetaGov

Because change must be encouraged by top leadership, we are fortunate that Secretary Wetzel is innovative and progressive. One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is the Secretary’s perspective that innovation should start with frontline staff... (cont'd)


Interview with Rachel Rosenbaum Mandell

Posted on August 5, 2019     By BetaGov

The list of challenges is quite hefty, but one of the biggest challenges as an instructional leader is being a successful change-maker. In the world of education, pedagogy and educational philosophy are constantly in flux... (cont'd)


Interview with Kim Bogucki

Posted on July 2, 2019     By BetaGov

Early on in my career in law enforcement, I started to wonder what was going on with our work and why what we were doing wasn't improving crime rates in general, but specifically why we were seeing the same people time and time again. (cont'd)


Interview with Jeremiah Johnson

Posted on June 11, 2019     By BetaGov

This month we feature an interview with Jeremiah Johnson, a Sergeant with the Darien (Connecticut) Police Department and an NIJ LEADS Scholar. Jeremiah was the first Pracademic to test cruise/blue/code lights on patrol vehicles to deter crime. (cont'd)


Interview with Superintendent Ransom

Posted on May 7, 2019     By BetaGov

Although my main objective as Superintendent at SCI-Dallas is to maintain a safe environment for staff and inmates. I like to encourage out-of-the-box thinking. What can we do that may not fit in with the typical prison-management model?...(cont'd)


BetaGov Spotlight: Dr. Walter Ling

Posted on April 3, 2019     By BetaGov

Walter Ling, M.D., is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Founding Director of the Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP) at UCLA, one of the foremost research groups focusing on substance use disorders (SUDs)...(cont'd)


BetaGov Spotlight: Renée Mitchell

Posted on March 6, 2019     By BetaGov

Renée J. Mitchell has worked for the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) since 1998 and is currently a sergeant in the Court Liaison Unit. She was the principal investigator on a department-led, 90-day randomized...(cont'd)


Interview With Deputy Secretary Trevor Wingard

Date:   January 14, 2018

How did you decide to test the SCF model? It was the summer of 2015 and Secretary John Wetzel wanted to address the issues in Pennsylvania of long-term segregation and reducing violence in our...(cont'd)


Interview With Unit Manager John Muick Of Pennsylvania SCI-Mahanoy

Posted on October 25, 2017     By BetaGov

SCI-Mahanoy conducted an RCT to see if providing air plants to participants would yield fewer placements to psychiatric observation and restrictive housing. Tell us about your role in the air plant tri...(cont'd)


BetaGov Spotlight: Jason Potts

Posted on September 25, 2017     By BetaGov

Jason Potts is a lieutenant with the City of Vallejo Police Department in Vallejo, CA. He joins BetaGov to discuss his role leading an RCT to test the effectiveness of equipping patrol vehicles with automatic...(cont'd)


BetaGov Spotlight: Denise O’Donnell

Date:   August 9, 2017

What are the most exciting initiatives that you supported during your time at BJA? I was fortunate to work on a number of exciting and challenging issues as Director of BJA. A central focus of our work was to...(cont'd)


Embracing Change

Date:   July 17, 2017

Sandra Kimmons is Director of Economic and Employment Services in the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). Her team...(cont'd)


"Let The Results Be What They Are"

Date:   June 20, 2017

Pracademic Kelli Zook talks with BetaGov about her trial, in which people on probation in Clackamas County, OR, received text-message...(cont'd)


Innovation Continues Following Negative Results

Date:   May 19, 2017

Corrine Livers was the trial lead for a study that explored cash assistance payment schedules in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, in which participants receive monthly cash assist...(cont'd)


"This Will Help Reduce The Recidivism Rate"

Date:   May 10, 2017

Riverside County Probation Department recently completed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the use of text messaging to communicate with probationers...(cont'd)


"We Want To Do What Works"

Date:   April 25, 2017

"We Want to Do What Works": An Interview with Bret Bucklen Dr. Kristofer (Bret) Bucklen, director of the Pennsylvania Department of ...(cont'd)