When officials at the Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) were looking to create a statewide operational action plan for probation and parole, they had to look no further than Mason’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE). Led by Dr. Faye Taxman and Dr. Danielle Rudes, the center conducts research to assist policy makers and correctional practitioners in crafting effective policies to prevent criminal behavior.

Ajima Olaghere, doctoral student in Criminology, Law and Society, was honored as the 2012 recipient of the John C. and Louis P. Wood Graduate Scholarship at a reception held last Wednesday at the Mason Inn Grand Ballroom.

CCCP Director Catherine Gallagher will speak at a panel discussion on Monday, March 26, 2012 to highlight the need for more opportunities, mentoring, intervention, support and education for America's youth. This panel is part of a series of briefings Congressman Bobby Scott is hosting to urge Congress to pass the Youth PROMISE Act. Joining Gallagher and Congressman Scott for the discussion will be among others renowned actor Hill Harper actor (CSI: NY). The briefing will go from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Room 2141 in the Rayburn House Office Building and will be open to the general public, congressional staff, members of Congress, and the media.

Dr. Catherine Gallagher , Director of the Cochrane Collaboration College for Policy at George Mason University (CCCP at GMU), spoke as a panelist at bipartisan briefing entitled “Reduce Crime, Reduce Costs, and Improve Lives and Communities through Evidence-Based Prevention” on Monday, February 27, 2012. Dr. Gallagher presented a report put together by CCCP at GMU that showed the medical costs of adolescent firearm injuries.

The Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy held a Congressional Briefing last week on Reducing Gun Violence: Lessons from Research and Practice. Led by Dr. Christopher Koper, the briefing was held on Capitol Hill to a standing-room only audience from over 100 government, academic, and research organizations. Dr. Koper presented research on police activities to reduce gun crimes, and Dr. Catherine Gallagher discussed the cost of adolescent firearms injuries.

Maggie DeBoard, who earned her degree in criminal justice from George Mason University, will be named Herndon's new police chief on March 5, 2012.

CCCP's Executive Director Dr. Catherine Gallagher was C-SPAN's Washington Journal guest for a 40-minute interview about federal juvenile justice spending programs for states on Monday, January 23, 2012.

Cynthia Lum, Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, has published a new book titled "Evidence-Based Counterterrorism Policy" (Springer, 2011), edited with Leslie W. Kennedy of Rutgers University. Lum and colleagues examine a variety of counterterrorism strategies in the United States and abroad.

Better This World follows the dramatic journey of David McKay (22) and Bradley Crowder (23), of Midland Texas, George W. Bush’s hometown, as they are transformed from political neophytes to accused domestic terrorists, arrested at the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Dr. David Weisburd will speak at Community Justice Conference 2012: The International Conference of Community Courts on January 31, 2012. He will speak on the "Lessons from Place-Based Policing." This multi-disciplinary conference is intended for judges, police officials, attorneys, community corrections officials, court administrators, victim advocates, community organizers and others with an interest in criminal justice reform. It will provide participants with both hands-on tools to improve their work and access to cutting-edge research in the field.