Rigorous research on the systems that keep communities safe.
Community and Justice Research LLC is an independent consultancy led by Meagan Cahill, Ph.D., bringing senior research leadership to criminal justice, public safety, and community wellbeing.
The research background of a large institution. The responsiveness of a small one.
Meagan Cahill founded Community and Justice Research LLC to bring senior research leadership directly to agencies, foundations, and research partners — without the overhead of a large institution standing between them and the work.
She brings nearly two decades of research leadership in criminal justice and public safety, including time as Director of Research at the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and senior research roles at organizations such as the Urban Institute and the RAND Corporation. She speaks regularly on this work at conferences and meetings for practitioner and researcher audiences.
Today, CJR LLC operates as a boutique, federal-contracting-ready consultancy — leading and partnering on proposals, managing subcontracts, and serving as principal investigator or co-investigator on studies spanning firearm policy, policing, and community safety.
Research grounded in the realities of the field.
Community Safety
Research on place-based and community-led approaches to public safety.
Policing
Evaluation and analysis to support evidence-informed policing practice.
Firearm Policy
Research and technical expertise on evidence-based firearm policy, including Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs).
Responses to Youth Gangs
Research on programs and policy responses to youth gang involvement.
Program Evaluation & RCT Methodology
Rigorous evaluation design, including randomized controlled trials, for public safety programs.
Qualitative & Stakeholder Research
Interviews, focus groups, and structured conversations with police chiefs, frontline staff, and community members — designed to surface what administrative data can't.
Survey Research
Design and administration of large-scale, representative surveys at both the agency and individual level.
A small consultancy built to work at a principal level.
Principal-Led
Every engagement is led directly by a Ph.D.-level researcher — not handed off to a junior project manager or subcontractor.
Right-Sized Teams
Studies are staffed to match their scope, drawing on trusted collaborators when a project calls for it.
Federal-Ready
CJR LLC is structured for direct federal contracting — registered, insured, and ready to lead or subcontract on funded research.
Let's talk about your next study.
Whether you're scoping a proposal, need a subject-matter expert, or are looking for a principal investigator — reach out.