image: Assistant Professor of Data Science Peter Alonzi mentors student researcher.
Credit: UVA School of Data Science
The University of Virginia’s School of Data Science is proud to announce that Assistant Professor of Data Science Peter Alonzi has been awarded a $78,594 grant from the Jefferson Trust to support the launch of the Criminal Justice Data Training Initiative. This program builds on years of partnership with local community organizations and interdisciplinary collaboration within the University. Its goal is to create unique undergraduate research opportunities while making a meaningful impact on the local criminal justice system.
The roots of the initiative trace back to 2006 and a longstanding capstone project under the direction of professors Michael Smith and K. Preston White, Jr. in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering. The project focused on student research opportunities within the community criminal justice system. Since being appointed to the School of Data Science in 2022, Alonzi has expanded the project’s ability to answer questions that were previously intractable, emphasizing the crucial role of data science in improving existing issues within criminal justice.
The initiative is centered on undergraduate students gaining hands-on experience with data in the criminal justice system. Through this work, they will develop a contextual understanding of the data and learn to interpret and handle sensitive information in collaboration with local agencies. Alonzi said this “aligned perfectly with the Jefferson Trust’s stated goals of looking for projects that provide unique student experiences and impact in the local community, as well as a desire to help start up innovative ideas or rapidly expand existing programs.”
The Criminal Justice Data Training Initiative will launch with up to four undergraduate students — ideally geared toward first- and second-year students — to participate in long-term research projects that support criminal justice efforts in Charlottesville and its neighboring counties. The Jefferson Area Evidence-Based Decision-Making Policy Team and the Jefferson Area Community Criminal Justice Board will set the strategy and specific goals, with input from Alonzi in both his position as the Initiative’s lead and as a board member. The students will then work on projects that involve data analysis for local agencies, including the Charlottesville Police Department and the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.
“The University of Virginia is ideally positioned to lead this effort, given its existing strengths in both data science and the study of criminal justice,” said Matthew Vitale, the Thomas Jefferson Area Criminal Justice Planner. “The School of Data Science has the expertise, resources, and experience necessary to build a program that would not only benefit the Commonwealth of Virginia but also serve as a model for other regions looking to integrate data science into their criminal justice systems.”
Beyond working with datasets, students will gain an immersive understanding of the criminal justice system. They will visit facilities, engage with administrators, and witness firsthand how data science decisions shape outcomes for incarcerated individuals and the broader community.
“This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet,” Alonzi explained. “Our students will develop critical technical skills, but they’ll also gain a deeper appreciation for the human impact of data in criminal justice.”
Funding from the Jefferson Trust will support the recruitment and compensation of student researchers starting in the fall of 2025. Additional financial support has also been pledged by community partners and the School of Data Science’s Undergraduate Research Program, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the program.
“I am extremely grateful for the support from the School of Data Science on this Initiative. For me, this is one way that I live our University's mission to be Great and Good,” said Alonzi. “Thanks to the Jefferson Trust and our other supporters, we’re creating opportunities for students to engage in meaningful, hands-on research while helping to address pressing challenges in our community.”
With its focus on student engagement, real-world applications, and community collaboration, the Criminal Justice Data Training Initiative represents a next step toward utilizing data science for positive societal change. As the initiative steps into its expanded phase this fall, it promises to shape the next generation of data scientists while fostering impactful partnerships across the Charlottesville area’s criminal justice landscape.