From Bench to Curbside: Considering the role of simulations in scaling-up justice

Abstract:

The foray of the justice sector into evidence‐based policy requires long‐term, strategic commitment to move knowledge from basic research discovery to the application of research findings into scaled‐up social interventions. In this policy essay, we refer to this research cycle as being from “Bench to Curbside” (B2C). By borrowing from the well‐known “Bench to Bedside” phrase in medicine, B2C describes the process by which results of research done “at the bench” in a laboratory‐type environment are used by researchers to develop and implement new, innovative ways to address crime and justice problems. Christopher J. Sullivan, Brandon C. Welsh, and Omeed S. Ilchi (2017, this issue) offer some important insights into how one type of bench/laboratory research—simulation modeling—can provide policy makers with information to move high‐quality, local interventions into scaled‐up, population‐based practices that minimize harms and, at the same time, prevent and control crime problems. Simulations, as we know, are not the only tool to help move from B2C, but they offer unique opportunities to help policy makers gather insights about the pros and cons of scaling‐up crime control practices from a wide range of promising, localized justice interventions.