University of Utah leaders want to infuse the state's criminal justice system with a little more information.

School officials announced a partnership between the state's Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice and the U. on Tuesday, solidifying an ad hoc research initiative that has funneled information to legislators for nearly two decades.

"We all benefit when government policy is informed by sound research. We all benefit when the best and brightest pursue careers in criminal justice," said U. law professor Erik Luna. "Ultimately it means a more effective, efficient and fair criminal justice system in Utah."

The university's new Criminal Justice Center brings together the schools of social and behavioral science, social work and law to identify research projects with government groups that could help guide policy decisions. The center has been functioning as an unofficial consortium for about 20 years, producing more than 40 studies on topics ranging from racial bias in the justice system to the safe neighborhoods initiative.

Most recently, Luna and social work professor Russel Van Vleet worked with students to investigate the effectiveness of the Salt Lake County adult felony drug court.

The research found a decreased number of re-offenders among those undergoing drug treatments. Salt Lake County set up an offender reform program in the months following the research, giving more money and focus to the treatment programs.

"We're impacting policy and statutes right now. We've impacted drug courts and gun violence," Van Vleet said. "Legislators make better decisions, they pass better laws."

Compared with legislative research analysts who often simply compile existing information, Van Vleet said the Criminal Justice Center will allow students to create original research to better inform legislators.

In addition, the center will also focus on teaching a curriculum in criminal and juvenile justice, as well as training and placing students in the Utah justice system.

"The administration has finally caught up with the professors," U. President Michael Young said. "Not only will our scholarly research be enhanced, we will participate hand in hand with main actors to help drive solutions. The theory really meets the facts."

Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham said that combination of the empirical data from the U. and the influence of public policy makers is "absolutely necessary to solve complex criminal justice issues."

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