Leveraging Data and Process Mining to Transform Juvenile Justice: Insights from Professors Tremblay & Castellanos Bueso at Celosphere 2024
At Celosphere 2024 in Munich, Monica Chiarini Tremblay and Arturo Castellanos Bueso, professors from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary, shared powerful insights into their groundbreaking work with process mining and its potential to transform juvenile justice. Their research focuses on optimizing processes within the Texas Juvenile Justice system to improve outcomes for young individuals who often find themselves trapped in a cycle of detention and inadequate mental health treatment.
Professor Rajiv Kohli, the John N. Dalton Memorial Professor of Business at William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business, is also involved in this project but was unable to attend Celosphere.
Tremblay, the project’s lead, has partnered with Castellanos Bueso and Kohli to collaborate with Evident Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming systems for vulnerable populations. With over a decade of experience in this field, Tremblay’s longstanding relationship with Evident Change, where she serves as a board member, has been instrumental in launching this research. Through this partnership, the team is using process mining tools, including those provided by Celonis, to analyze data from both the juvenile justice and mental health systems—two traditionally siloed areas that are difficult to merge.
One of the key insights shared by Tremblay was the striking correlation between a young person's access to adequate mental health care and a reduced likelihood of extended detention or reoffending. With better access to healthcare, the chances of both prolonged incarceration and future criminal behavior are significantly diminished. They discovered that many youths in the system were not receiving the correct mental health treatment, often resulting in prolonged incarcerations. Their findings pointed to the broader issue of how juveniles in the system often spiral due to small, misdemeanor offenses escalating over time, eventually leading to serious charges and prison sentences.
The professors noted how process mining has helped them identify inefficiencies within these systems. By connecting disparate data sets, they have been able to see a much larger picture of how juveniles interact with both the justice and healthcare systems, leading to actionable insights. "We have shown that combining data from different systems can make a real difference," said Tremblay. The project is still in its pilot phase, but it has already demonstrated how insights derived from older, underused datasets can dramatically improve understanding and drive systemic change.
A core element of their work has been the use of Celonis' process mining technology, which allows them to map out event logs from various systems, helping to visualize and understand the complex journey of each child within the justice system. This approach has shown promise in breaking down the silos that have traditionally hindered efforts to improve juvenile justice.
Looking ahead, Castellanos Bueso and Tremblay hope that their research will inform policy and inspire other academics and industry professionals to use similar data-driven tools to address "wicked problems" across various sectors. "We are hoping to change the trajectory of young lives, not just by fixing data processes but by ultimately improving the systems that shape their futures," said Castellanos Bueso.
For Tremblay, the ultimate goal is policy impact. She expressed optimism that they can influence new policies that better serve at-risk youth by continuing their research and demonstrating the potential of process mining. "What we've started here could scale across many sectors," she explained, mentioning that their findings could also apply to other fields such as education or healthcare.
Their work exemplifies the intersection of academic research, real-world data, and technology—particularly the power of process mining to uncover inefficiencies and provide actionable solutions to some of society's most challenging problems. Teaching their students how to use these tools and collaborating with organizations like Celonis, Castellanos Bueso and Tremblay are advancing academic knowledge and helping to create meaningful change for young people in the justice system.
As they continue their work, their ambition is clear: they want to pave the way for a future where data, process optimization, and innovative tools are used to improve the lives of young people, one step at a time.
About Celonis
Celonis is dedicated to shaping the next generation of data and process science leaders through its Celonis Academic Alliance. In collaboration with top universities, colleges, and schools worldwide, the initiative empowers the Process Intelligence experts of tomorrow. The Mason School is proud to be one of its allied partners.
Celonis has become a trusted partner and a desirable employer for many MSBA students, providing valuable learning opportunities and a bright future for graduates. Leveraging its state-of-the-art Process Intelligence platform, powered by advanced process mining technology and AI, Celonis helps global companies drive cash impact, improve customer experience, and reduce carbon emissions.
By offering a digital twin of end-to-end processes, Celonis fosters a shared understanding of business operations, uncovering hidden value and enabling success. For MSBA students, Celonis is a key educational partner and a sought-after employer, playing a pivotal role in developing the next generation of business leaders.
Celosphere will return to Munich at Messe München on November 4-5, 2025.
