Tom Woods is a senior associate in the Juvenile Justice Strategies Group (JJSG) at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. As JJSG’s lead data and research analyst, he has provided direct technical assistance to partners and grantees in more than two dozen states in the areas of data analysis, data management, strategic planning and policy implementation. He has led projects at the state and local levels in the areas of correctional population measurement and forecasting; design and validation of risk assessment and screening tools; policy impact analysis, including analysis of racial and ethnic disparities; survey design and development to support operational research; and data management capacity building. He has authored Casey publications about the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative® and national juvenile justice data insights. From 2014 to 2019, he led Casey’s support for multiple components of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice’s Transformation initiative, which resulted in a 60% reduction in the population of state juvenile correctional facilities, the closure of two facilities and measurable quality improvements at the remaining facility in the areas of family engagement and safety, educational and career programming.
Before joining the Foundation in 2007, Woods worked for American Management Systems (later acquired by CGI Group) developing and maintaining automated data systems for public human and social services agencies in multiple states. His previous work experience includes roles with the National Commission on Children; the Children’s Defense Fund; and the Center for the Study of Social Policy.
Woods graduated from Harvard College and earned master’s degrees in public policy and business administration from the University of Texas at Austin.