The University of Wyoming’s Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center (WYSAC) was recently selected to receive a 2025 Douglas Yearwood National Publication Award in the statistical/management category. The award is in the large survey and analysis center (SAC) division.
The Douglas Yearwood National Publication Awards recognize the outstanding efforts of SACs in applying empirical analysis to criminal justice policymaking in the states. There are two report categories: statistical/management and research/policy analysis. Each category has two awards based on staff size: small SACs with fewer than five full-time staff and large SACs with five or more full-time staff.
The UW WYSAC report, produced by the homicide review team, simulated the work of a domestic violence homicide review board and demonstrated how such a board could help identify system breakdowns and ultimately prevent future tragedies, says Brian Harnisch, director of WYSAC. A significant report finding was that lethality assessments, if implemented earlier, could have flagged several victims as being in imminent danger.
The homicide review team on this report includes Amber Martinez, senior project coordinator, and Lena Dechert, an assistant research scientist. Other contributors were Laurel Wimbish, manager for the Center for Justice Research and a senior research scientist; Emily Grant, a senior research scientist; and Brooke Benson, an assistant research scientist.
“This national recognition, awarded by the Justice Information Resource Network (JIRN), highlights the outstanding work by Lena, Amber and the team behind the domestic violence homicide simulation report,” Harnisch says. “The project was a team effort, with valuable contributions from Laurel, Emily, and Brooke as well.”
Harnisch noted the sheer scope and depth of the analysis, which included thousands of pages of police reports, criminal histories, protection order data and coroner’s reports that were reviewed. Additionally, Dechert worked closely with the Division of Victim Services to ensure that the findings will reach the state’s decision-makers.
“This is the kind of high-impact research that makes WYSAC’s work so important,” Harnisch says.
While details have not yet been ironed out, Harnisch says Dechert will be presenting at the Yearwood Publication Awards, scheduled Thursday, Sept. 18. A location for the upcoming awards event was not available.
About the Douglas Yearwood Publication Awards
In 1986, the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) established the National Publication Awards as the Phillip Hoke Awards in memory of the first Louisiana SAC director and one of the founders of JRSA. In 2012, the award was renamed in memory of Douglas Yearwood, a longtime North Carolina SAC director and former JRSA president.
