NCJ Number
219603
Journal
National Institute of Justice Journal Issue: 253 Dated: October 2007 Pages: 1-38
Editor(s)
Nancy Ritter
Date Published
October 2007
Length
41 pages
Annotation
Seven articles provide updates on projects funded by the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
Abstract
Recognizing that police methods for obtaining eyewitness identifications of suspects have produced false identifications with serious consequences, one article describes research to date on the reliability of various designs for police live and photo lineups. NIJ is currently funding research on the reliability of various lineup designs in preventing false eyewitness identifications. Another article describes the virtual forensic facility created by Dartmouth's Interactive Medical Laboratory for the purpose of training professionals in the fundamental elements of conducting a timely, competent forensic examination of sexual assault victims. A third article presents examples of NIJ-funded forensic research that has enabled practitioners in crime labs to develop innovative procedures for conducting their work. A fourth article provides an updated report on what has been achieved in technology for detecting motion and forms behind walls and the potential this technology holds for use in law enforcement work. An article notes the current disadvantages of technology for detecting concealed weapons (they are located where monitoring security personnel and the general public are exposed to attack by those carrying concealed weapons). The article reports on current NIJ-funded research on remote detectors of concealed weapons. A sixth article summarizes key demographics recently reported from an ongoing evaluation of reentry programs under the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI), a Federal effort to help States use their correctional resources to reduce reoffending after released inmates return to communities. The seventh article presents the results of a NIJ-funded survey of forensic databases throughout the world. It describes what each database contains and how it works.