Current | The ARC Lab

Turning hope into evidence - A pilot study preparing for evaluation of the Never Give Up Transitional Living Program (2026)

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Tostlebe
Supported By (internal): UNO University Committee on Research and Creative Activity

Each year, more than 400,000 individuals are released from U.S. prisons, including approximately 2,000 in Nebraska. This transition from incarceration to the community is often marked by housing instability and employment barriers, which contribute to high rates of reoffending. Transitional living programs aim to disrupt this cycle by providing structured housing and supportive services, yet rigorous evaluations of these programs remain limited. This pilot project leverages an existing research-practitioner partnership to prepare the Omaha-based Never Give Up Transitional Living program for a future outcome evaluation. Specifically, this study will assess recruitment and retention feasibility of treatment and control groups, pilot logic model-grounded baseline and follow-up survey instruments, and evaluate the plausibility of quasi-experimental analytic strategies under real-world constraints. Findings will inform the design of a competitive external funding proposal and position the investigator to generate policy-relevant evidence on community-based reentry interventions.

This is a summer project funded internally by the UNO University Committee on Research and Creative Activity (UCRCA).

Development and evaluation of a parole decision making tool (2025-2030)

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Principal Investigators: Drs. Zachary Hamilton, Jennifer Tostlebe, and Alex Kigerl (with Drs. David Pyrooz and Stephen Billings)
Supported By: The Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Prisons in the United States are overcrowded. When prisons are over capacity it is challenging to effectively manage and rehabilitate prisoners before they return to their communities.

A new research project supported by Arnold Ventures seeks to reduce overcrowding in Iowa, which currently incarcerates 22% more individuals beyond it bed capacity. It has been this way since 1989.

Renee Schulte, the chair of the Iowa Board of Parole stated, “The Iowa Board of Parole is excited to partner with Arnold Ventures, University Nebraska Omaha and University of Colorado Boulder for an innovative research project that will analyze Iowa-specific data in order to develop tools to assist the Board with its mission to facilitate the successful re-entry of individuals back into their community by using evidence-based, data informed decisions. This research project will assist the Board with identifying individuals who are safe to release, thereby reducing over-incarceration and creating a safer environment for staff.”

With $889,480 in support from Arnold Ventures, researchers from the University of Nebraska Omaha and the University of Colorado Boulder are collaborating with the Iowa Board of Parole and Iowa Department of Corrections to develop and test a solution.

The Nebraska team will create the tool that will aid in parole decision making. Zachary Hamilton, the Principal Investigator of the project says, “the assessment tool will identify the lowest risk of those incarcerated, allowing the parole board to consider a larger pool of”. He is working closely with his colleagues, Drs. Jennifer Tostlebe and Alex Kigerl, to understand decision-making and how the tool can improve it.

The Colorado team will serve as independent evaluators. They will determine if the tool makes a difference and if it threatens public safety. According to David Pyrooz, who with Stephen Billings, is a Co-Principal Investigator on the study, “for many people prison does more harm than good, but decisions to release individuals must limit adverse consequences to the public.”

This five-year collaboration provides a unique opportunity to develop an evidence-based solution to prison overcrowding. Combining rigorous design, careful implementation, and robust evaluation, the researchers aim to produce a model that can be replicated in other states facing similar challenges in overcrowding.

Nebraska Department of Correctional Services program evaluation (2022-2026)

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Principal Investigators: Drs. Zachary Hamilton and Jennifer Tostlebe
Supported By: The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services

In 2022, Nebraska’s State Legislature modified the previously enacted LB 896 to provide evaluation resources for NDCS programs to ensure the effectiveness of institutional programs serving Nebraska’s incarcerated population. LB 896 defines structured programming as clinical treatment programs, non-clinical programs, and other nonrecreational interventions administered within NDCS’s secure facilities. The statute requires structured programming to be evaluated for quality, including whether program participation reduces recidivism. In late 2022, NDCS contracted with the University of Nebraska Omaha to evaluate these programs. The primary goal of the evaluation was to determine if programs were being delivered with fidelity and achieving intended outcomes. LB 896 also required that the evaluation provide “a rating on the effectiveness of the program."

This is a four-year project funded by the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.