Our Work
The page below includes a sampling of some of the Independent Variable team’s most recent work, including examples of policy reports, presentations, media interactions, and design workshops facilitated with clients and community partners. For more information on Independent Variable work products and packages, click here to see our most recent catalogue of offerings.
See something of interest? Contact us to request more information on existing packages, or to design a customized engagement related to any of our main areas of work.
In addition to offering design workshops and sprints to clients looking to launch specific innovation initiatives, the Independent Variable team has also created a standardized six-session curriculum for clients interested in building organizational capacity for innovation and performance management more broadly. This training series focuses on core concepts, and participants are given exercises and tools to practice in their daily work. All trainings are available both in-person and digitally.
For more information on some of the topics covered in our training series, click here for a copy of our most recent work catalogue.
Our Enterprise Software Solution in Action
The video below offers a brief demonstration of Independent Variable’s enterprise case management application, PERFORM, in action. While initially built to help reform-minded prosecutors’ offices better implement and track their criminal justice innovation and reform efforts, the PERFORM application has been scoped for maximum design flexibility to allow for rapid modification for any number of diverse use cases.
Through our collaborative design process, the Independent Variable team works with clients to customize the PERFORM application for their unique business cases. The application is then delivered at the push of a button to clients’ own networks, where they have full access to our codebase and their own data.
Interested in learning more about the possibilities of the PERFORM application? Contact us to schedule a one-on-one demo and consultation to discuss your organizational needs.
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Building an Interactive Community Resources Dashboard
Independent Variable is proud to partner with EMIR Healing Center to launch their new Healing Resources Dashboard, a powerful digital tool that combines Philadelphia gun violence data with community healing resources. Built in Microsoft Power BI, this interactive data dashboard empowers residents, advocates, and policymakers to: 1) better understand the impact of violence, and 2)
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Area 32 Community Dashboard
While there is no shortage of amazing organizations working to solve the problem of gun violence, status quo contracting incentives often force these organizations to compete directly for a limited pool of disconnected contracts to serve some of society’s most resource-constrained communities. Unfortunately, as there is no single solution to curb gun violence, any single-solution
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Philadelphia’s Shifting Juvenile Justice Paradigm: An Economic Analysis
“Philadelphia’s Shifting Juvenile Justice Paradigm: An Economic Analysis” is a report written in partnership with Independent Variable and Econsult Solutions, Inc., examining the economics of the youth justice system in Philadelphia and making a series of recommendations for evidence-informed, fiscally driven policy reforms. Our Partnership with the Philidelphia District Attorney’s Office and econsult solutions The
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Overlooked or Overscrutinized? A Report on Justice-Involved GIRLS
In this post, we include a downloadable PDF of a report co-authored by Independent Variable and staff from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. All data in this report was compiled and analyzed through database and data analytics software built by the Independent Variable team. Excerpts from the official press release for this report below: “PHILADELPHIA (March 30, 2023) – A
In the news
Philly’s juvenile-justice system leaves girls out of programs that could help them, new report says
“The report, released last week, followed a cohort of more than 400 girls arrested and charged in 2019, tracking their journeys into and out of the city’s juvenile justice system through the end of 2021…”
Report: Racial inequities ‘pervade’ Philly’s juvenile justice system
“Our analysis shows substantial unspent juvenile justice budget appropriations over the past half-decade, even while per-youth spending on juvenile justice has far exceeded that seen in other youth-serving systems,” Serlin continued. “This suggests that a fundamental reimagining of our spending strategies may be in order.”
More school counselors would improve juvenile justice system for girls
In addition, the report said that every school should have two counselors on staff, regardless of its size, “with at least one of these counselors identifying as a woman to ensure that girls have a safe space if they do not feel comfortable confiding in male-identifying counselors.”
The student-counselor ratio was decimated due to budget cuts a decade ago and has not been fully restored.
Philly’s juvenile-justice system leaves girls out of programs that could help them, new report says
“The report, released last week, followed a cohort of more than 400 girls arrested and charged in 2019, tracking their journeys into and out of the city’s juvenile justice system through the end of 2021…”
Report: Racial inequities ‘pervade’ Philly’s juvenile justice system
“Our analysis shows substantial unspent juvenile justice budget appropriations over the past half-decade, even while per-youth spending on juvenile justice has far exceeded that seen in other youth-serving systems,” Serlin continued. “This suggests that a fundamental reimagining of our spending strategies may be in order.”
More school counselors would improve juvenile justice system for girls
In addition, the report said that every school should have two counselors on staff, regardless of its size, “with at least one of these counselors identifying as a woman to ensure that girls have a safe space if they do not feel comfortable confiding in male-identifying counselors.”
The student-counselor ratio was decimated due to budget cuts a decade ago and has not been fully restored.
Philadelphia juvenile justice system spends funds inefficiently, with ‘suboptimal results,’ report says
“A report unveiled by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office on Monday describes a juvenile justice system where funds are being inefficiently spent and producing what experts call “suboptimal results.”…”
Youth Justice Leaders Call for Cross-System Collaboration to Keep Girls Out of Philly Justice System
“Report co-author Adam Serlin, the founder and principal of Independent Variable, said: “The data in this report highlights issues that practitioners have been discussing for years…”
Philadelphia DA’s Office releases report on girls in juvenile justice system
“The report also raises questions about institutional racial and economic disparities in the city after “alarmingly” finding that 95% of girls arrested in the city in 2019 were Black and/or Hispanic…”
Report finds disproportionate resources for girls in Philadelphia’s juvenile court system
“According to a new report released by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, young girls who are arrested and charged in the juvenile court system are given fewer resources and services than those of the opposite sex — a system that is structurally more male-focused….”
Report: Philadelphia’s juvenile justice system has many repeat offenders
“Five years ago the system was less sophisticated. Tracking the kids coming in and out of the criminal justice system and analyzing what’s happening and not happening inside the Juvenile Justice Department “should not be a secret,” Serlin said.”
