NCJ Number
142413
Date Published
1993
Length
53 pages
Annotation
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, conducts a wide range of programs that fulfill the mandate of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.
Abstract
The NIJ supports research and development programs and special projects to improve and strengthen the criminal justice system and reduce or prevent crime. In addition, the agency conducts national demonstration projects that employ innovative or promising approaches to improving criminal justice. Furthermore, NIJ develops new technologies to fight crime, evaluates the effectiveness of criminal justice programs. Also, it recommends actions that can be taken at all levels of government and by private organizations to improve criminal justice, and develops new crime prevention methods. NIJ services are described, including the National Criminal Justice Reference Service and the Construction Information Exchange. In addition, NIJ offers programs that focus on community policing, gangs, human development and criminal behavior. Other programs include drug use forecasting, drug market analysis, the Americans With Disabilities Act, security by design, technology assessment, DNA technology development, and data resources. Also presented, are the findings of the NIJ's 1990 National Assessment Program involving policymakers and criminal justice professionals in 13 types of criminal justice agencies are presented.