NCJ Number
252962
Date Published
January 2020
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This is the 2017 Annual Report of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Abstract
NIJ's mission is to enhance the administration of justice and public policy by advancing scientific research, development, and evaluation. The first section of this report addresses NIJ's 2017 activities related to law enforcement. The activities described include new NIJ research related to support for law enforcement officers, understanding the impacts of policing strategies and practices, guiding policing research for the next 5 years, the Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholars Program, and National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers. Another major section of this report focuses on NIJ's 2017 activities related to forensic science, technology, and evidence. In this section, NIJ reports on its graduate research fellowships, post-conviction DNA testing, the National Initiative To Reduce DNA and Evidence Backlogs, research and development in forensic science for criminal justice purposes, and the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program. The report's description of NIJ activities related to crime addresses the Real-Time Crime Forecasting Challenge; radicalization to terrorism; drugs and crime; and human trafficking. NIJ 2017 activities related to violence and victimization included reducing violence at the community level, the Violence Against Women Research Consortium, and the comprehensive School Safety Initiative. NIJ activities are also reported in the areas of standards and testing as well as improving the criminal justice system. In addition, highlights are reported for six major NIJ reports disseminated in 2017. NIJ activities in social media are also described. Financial data on NIJ activities are appended.