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Item Marion County Community Corrections Violation Data Project(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2023-03) Ying, Michelle; Grommon, EricMarion County Community Corrections (MCCC) supervises more than 10,000 clients per year and provides incarceration alternatives for individuals involved with the justice system in Marion County, Indiana. These alternative forms of supervision may include Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring, electronic monitoring, home detention, and alcohol monitoring. A judge may order this type of supervision as a condition of pretrial release, a post-conviction sentencing order, or as a condition to supplement a Marion County probation order. Additionally, MCCC manages Duvall Residential Center, a work release program for male clients. MCCC partnered with the Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy (CRISP) to explore trends of technical violations filed by MCCC. This brief includes findings of the analysis focusing on MCCC’s post-conviction caseloads.Item Maternal Mortality in Indiana: Contributing factors, progress, and policy recommendations(Center for Research on Inclusion & Social Policy, 2025-04) Brooks, Tierra; Ruess, Lee; Schultz, Kristi; Thuranira, ElizabethMaternal mortality—defined as the death of a person either during their pregnancy or up to 12 months postpartum— is a major indicator of a country's or state’s overall health and well-being. Although pregnancy-related deaths decreased between 2018 and 2023, the United States continues to have the highest maternal mortality rate (MMR) among the world’s wealthiest countries—despite over 80% of those deaths likely being preventable. While MMR has dropped in Indiana, when looking at the five-year average for 2018‒22, the state remained in the bottom quintile compared to other states. In 2023, over 70% of all maternal deaths in the state were considered preventable. In this policy brief, PPI analysts examine maternal mortality in Indiana to discover its causes. They investigate how the state is addressing the problem and what additional measures may be taken to reduce MMR among Hoosier women.Item Homelessness in Indiana (2024)(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2024-10-04) Mullin, Hannah; Gomez, Cecilia; Rapolu, Sreemayi; Arun, Nidhi; Bow, Brendan; Schultz, Kristi; Van Allen, Elizabeth J.; Menard, Claire; Thakur, MedhaviOver the past six years, rising eviction rates, stagnant state minimum wage, and a statewide shortage of affordable housing have impacted Hoosiers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funding alleviated some effects of housing instability and homelessness. Without meaningful intervention and prevention, Indiana is at risk of worsening racial discrimination in the housing market, increasing the homeless population, and neglecting those affected by chronic homelessness. Housing instability and homelessness may also lead to new problems, including increases in continuously unhoused youth and incarceration stemming from discriminatory policies related to panhandling, loitering, and vagrancy. Research shows that targeting tenant rights, legal representation, minimum wage, and affordable housing effectively addresses housing problems and homelessness statewide.Item LGBTQ+ Hoosiers: Barriers to student success(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2024-10-04) Dietz, Ted; Morris, Cheyenne; Gomez, Cecilia; Mullin, Hannah; Rapolu, Sreemayi; Bow, Brendan; Schultz, Kristi; Van Allen, Elizabeth J.; Menard, Claire; Thakur, MedhaviYoung Hoosiers rely on school systems and educators to develop safe and supportive learning environments and expose them to diverse voices. Having access to these environments is particularly important for youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual and gender identities (LGBTQ+). This population experiences increased rates of high-risk behavior1—like alcohol, drug use, and suicide—often due to feelings of isolation or exposure to bullying. Supporting professional development for educators, funding research regarding LGBTQ+ youth in Indiana, and promoting existing youth-based programs will help to meet the needs of young Hoosiers.Item Food insecurity in Indiana (2024)(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2024-10-04) Eckert, Marissa; Rapolu, Sreemayi; Gomez, Cecilia; Mullin, Hannah; Bow, Brendan; Schultz, Kristi; Menard, Claire; Van Allen, Elizabeth J.; Vargas, EmanuelFood insecurity is a public health concern affecting Hoosiers’ well-being and their ability to contribute effectively to their work and society. In 2022, more than 950,000 Hoosiers struggled to access nutritious food, often due to a lack of adequate or stable income. Food insecurity leads to hunger, malnutrition, and increased risks for chronic diseases. Socially, food insecurity reduces people’s cognitive ability by making it more difficult to concentrate and work effectively. Legislation strengthening funding for the availability of and access to fresh food and assistance programs are positive ways to address food insecurity in Indiana.Item Addressing Unequal Access to Energy in Indiana(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2022-12-12) Schultz, Kristi; Deitz, Ted; Morris, Cheyenne; Eckert, MarissaIn 2019, state leaders formed the 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force to explore and make policy recommendations addressing Indiana’s energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy alternatives. As part of their charge, the task force is researching the affordability and reliability of energy as well as how these energy issues impact low-income and racially minoritized communities. The definition of energy access varies but often includes the delivery and use of a minimum level of energy a household requires for basic needs, such as heating a home or cooking meals. As renewable energy sources become more widely available, it is important that all communities have equitable access to these resources. Addressing these concerns early and proactively deploying strategies focused on energy transition could foster more equitable access to clean energy. This report discusses unequal access to energy in Indiana and the resulting impact on underserved communities. This brief also highlights several strategies to address these disparities.Item Affordable Housing in Indiana (2022): Policy considerations and recommendations(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2022-12-12) Bow, Brendan; Mullin, Hannah; Rapolu, Sreemayi Reddy; Eckert, MarissaThe Indiana General Assembly passed House Bill 1306 in 2022. When it was signed into law in March 2022, Indiana Public Law 99 established a task force to review housing related issues and housing shortages in Indiana. This task force must issue a report to the general assembly and governor no later than November 1, 2022. In August 2022, researchers from the Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy produced a policy brief containing recommendations for local and state officials to address homelessness, much of which concerned housing issues in Indianapolis. This brief expands on the previous report by examining housing availability and affordability in Indiana, while also comparing Indiana to four other similar states. Using this information, the research team provides policy suggestions to address housing shortages in Indiana.Item Refugee Resettlement in Indiana (2022)(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2022-08-23) Arun, Nidhi; Schultz, Kristi; Lawrence, RoxyThere are approximately 27,800 refugees in Indiana. From 1970–2007, between 200 and 500 refugees resettled in Indiana each year. The Syrian civil war led to a 63% increase in refugee arrivals in the Hoosier State from 2011 to 2015. In 2016 alone, 1,934 primary refugees—those who entered the United States through Indiana—resettled in the state. In the most recent count, 202 refugees arrived in the state between October 2020 and September 2021. As refugee populations grow, states must have the necessary infrastructure in place to resettle and support these individuals. This brief describes the unique challenges and barriers of resettling refugees in Indiana, highlights gaps in services, and pinpoints practices and policies that may effectively and sustainably address refugee needs in Indiana.Item Addressing Homelessness in Marion County: Policy Considerations and Recommendations(Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, 2022-08-16) Bow, Brendan; Lawrence, Roxy; Eckert, MarissaIn July of 2022, the Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy—in collaboration with the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention—released a brief describing the findings of the 2022 Marion County Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. In this follow-up report, researchers compared Indianapolis to four similar cities—Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; and Nashville, Tennessee—to examine homeless populations. This report also examines factors affecting homelessness in Marion County. Those include a dwindling housing/rental market combined with rising housing/rental costs, specific laws and ordinances that criminalize homelessness, recent increases in youth homelessness, and a lack of facilities and support systems to house and help those experiencing homelessness.Item Homelessness in Indianapolis: 2022 Marion County Point-in-Time Count(Center for Research on Inclusion & Social Policy, 2022-07-21) Bow, Brendan; Beebe, Gwen; Arun, Nidhi; Cope, Jacquelynn; Lawrence, Roxy; Camacho-Reyes, Karla; Gibson, Amy; Eckert, MarissaFor more than a decade, the IU Public Policy Institute (PPI) and the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) have collaborated with local organizations to conduct Marion County’s annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. As mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the PIT Count reports the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. This report highlights key findings and takeaways from the PIT Count to inform policy decisions and service provision.