The policymaking process has historically relied on the expertise of researchers, which can crowd out the perspectives and expertise of people with lived experience. However, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of engaging people with experiential expertise. CPL believes that people with lived experience within the criminal legal system bring different and important lenses to our research, enrich our understanding, and ensure that our work has the greatest policy impact.
In 2024, CPL launched its first Criminal Legal Research Advisory Board (RAB), with five inaugural advisors that are students at the University of California and members of the Underground Scholars Initiative, a support group for formerly incarcerated students. The RAB meets quarterly, and RAB members review current CPL research, and provide feedback on research findings, provide input on development and implementation of study methodology, and use their expertise to inform how research results are communicated. For any questions about the RAB, please contact Molly Pickard: molly.pickard@berkeley.edu.
