Albany, NY – Assemblymember Phil Steck today announced $100,000 in state budget funding secured for the Finn Institute for Public Safety to support critical research projects that advance evidence-based public safety practices.

The state investment will help the Institute continue work that had been supported under a federal grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which was terminated by the Department of Justice on April 22. While an appeal of that decision is pending, the state funding secured by Steck will allow the Institute to move forward with much of the planned work for the year.

“The Finn Institute has a proven track record of using data and evidence-based analysis to improve public safety in our communities,” said Assemblymember Phil Steck. “When the Department of Justice terminated their NIJ grant, I knew we could not let this important work come to a halt. I am proud to have secured $100,000 in the state budget to ensure their research moves forward and that local law enforcement agencies continue to benefit from their expertise.”

“As John Finn did, the Finn Institute strives to support data-driven and evidence-based practice to advance public safety,” said Robert Worden, Executive Director of the Finn Institute. “In the past several years, Assemblyman Phil Steck has supported the Institute's work, enabling us to undertake some new projects – such as efforts to analyze and reduce pedestrian and vehicle crashes – and to capitalize further on projects with several law enforcement agencies in the state, including efforts to address staffing crises that have intensified in New York and across the U.S. As in other human services, systematic empirical evidence about what works in public safety – and what is not working – is a valuable public resource that requires public investment. New York State's investments in research are especially critical now, at a time when in some quarters public investment in generating knowledge is discredited. We are deeply grateful for Phil's support and investments in the Institute.”

At the event, Alissa Worden, Senior Research Fellow, highlighted how the new state funding is sustaining ongoing initiatives, including an analysis of vehicle collisions with pedestrians and bicycles along Central Avenue in Colonie. Representatives from the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department, who are partners in these projects, also participated in the announcement.

The $100,000 state allocation ensures the Finn Institute can continue its mission of generating independent, nonpartisan research that informs public safety policy and practice, preserving a resource vital to New York’s communities.