This report presents an updated overview of the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice's (NIJ's) Drugs and Crime Research Portfolio, which addresses drug trafficking, drug markets, and the use of illegal drugs, including prescription drug diversion, by conducting research and capacity-building.
NIJ-sponsored research on illegal prescription drug market interventions has addressed deterrence, investigation, and disruption of illegal prescription drug markets. NIJ also partnered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Institute of Drug Abuse in developing and conducting a 2015 meeting on drug recognition and impairment research. The meeting enabled the dissemination of information on NIJ projects to practitioners and the exchange of information among agencies. In addition, NIJ currently supports research on evidence-based tools, protocols, and policies for state, local, and tribal law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies to use in preventing and countering opioid abuse. Other areas addressed in NIJ research, training, and technical assistance are controlled substances and forensic toxicology, drug intelligence and community surveillance, and corrections.