Dashboard · JSP × Violence Prevention Fund
Kansas City Justice Initiative
A public dashboard and city map of Kansas City crime data, community resources, and land use, built with Justice System Partners.
Visit kcjusticeinitiative.org →Criminologist · Researcher · Consultant
Dr. Marijana Kotlaja
Mixed methods criminologist studying community violence, policing, and juvenile justice, with comparative research in the Western Balkans and applied evaluation work across the United States.
Senior Associate at Justice System Partners · Founder of MK Research LLC · Founder of Balkan Networking in Kansas City
Featured Work
Selected projects and collaborations.
Book · 2024
Policing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Perspective
A co-authored book on how police in twelve countries held up under a crisis that never let up.
Evaluation · $1.3M
KC360 Violence Prevention Evaluation
Principal Investigator on the City of Kansas City Department of Health's flagship community violence reduction evaluation.
Invited Talk · UNODC
Football Hooliganism, Politics, and Organized Crime in the Balkans
Invited address to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on the Belivuk case and Western Balkans organized crime.
Recent
Talks, panels, and press.
Panel · 2024
American Public Square, Kansas City Public Library
Invited Talk · 2024
UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Football Hooliganism, Politics, and Organized Crime in the Balkans: Lessons from the Belivuk Case.
Symposium · 2024
Public Safety Symposium
Guns, Crime and the Economy, invited by Mayor Pro Tem Shaw, Kansas City.
Writing
Notes on crime, justice, and method.
A Substack newsletter on criminology, comparative perspectives, and what the data actually shows. New posts every few weeks.