The West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Statistical Analysis Center, recently took home the Phillip Hoke National Publication Award for Excellence in the Research/Policy Analysis category.
The Statistical Analysis Center received this honor for their publication titled Helping Others Pursue Excellence in Public Schools: A Process Evaluation of HOPE CDC’s Mentoring Program. The report was co-authored by SAC Director Dr. Stephen M. Haas and Research Analyst Erica Turley.
“The criminal justice research and statistical analysis work consistently accomplished by Dr. Haas and his staff are something the state of West Virginia can continue to be proud of,” said DMAPS Cabinet Secretary James W. Spears. “This award represents significant accomplishments and shows West Virginia’s ability to not only compete on a national stage, but to win on a national stage.”
The award was presented at the 2009 Bureau of Justice Statistics/Justice Research and Statistics Association Conference. This award is another in a long line of recent national awards for the Statistical Analysis Center, to include: the 2006 Phillip Hoke National Publication Award; the 2008 Technical Innovation Award; and the G. Paul Sylvestre Award to Dr. Haas, which is the highest honor bestowed upon SAC directors for demonstrating outstanding achievement.
“This consistent pattern of awards earned, validates the important contribution to public safety that is made by measuring for evidence of success,” said Norbert Federspiel, director, Division of Criminal Justice Services. “Employing evidence based practices provides a means to assure efficient and effective practices are used in promoting public safety.”
Statistical Analysis Centers are the state agencies responsible for collecting, analyzing and disseminating justice data. The association works closely with the Bureau of Justice Statistics and other federal agencies to promote the effective use of criminal and juvenile justice information.
WV SAC publications can be viewed online at http://www.wvdcjs.com/statsanalysis/publications.html.