Advancing Science: The Official Newsletter of the NIJ Director

I’m looking forward to attending the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) convening later this week, at which I will be presenting to IACP’s Research Advisory Committee.

I will also be joining NIJ staff in discussions with our LEADS Scholars, and Joel Hunt on our team will take part in the panel “Cyber Security: Embracing the Future – How Technology Will Transform Law Enforcement.”

Stop by our booth in the exhibit area, number 4511, on Monday, October 17th from 3:30-4:30 pm where I’ll be available for meet & greets — I’d love to connect with you!

NIJ’s team of experts continues to grow as Drs. Elizabeth Groff and Tamara Herold join our ranks as Senior Advisors!

Liz and I had the pleasure of working together in NIJ’s Crime Mapping Research Center years ago, and since that time she has become one of the nation’s leading experts in the spatial analysis of crime and place-based studies of policing.

Tamara is a renowned expert on policing protests, training, and problem solving and will be helping NIJ ensure that the evidence we produce leads to action on the ground.

One of the things I love about this job is that I am learning about new crime and justice topics every day. I found a recent NIJ Journal article, co-authored by NIJ’s Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences Director Lucas Zarwell and Program Manager Dr. Gregory Dutton, to be particularly edifying. It tracks the history of how a 2011 FBI black box fingerprint study has revolutionized the standards for accuracy and viability of forensics practices in the field and courts. Studies like this underscore the value of NIJ’s investments in the validation of forensic science and the impacts that NIJ-sponsored research can have.

READ ABOUT THE STUDY

Earlier this month I was honored to take part in an OJP webinar on “Building the Evidence Base.” This webinar is the first in a six-part series designed to reduce the barriers that community-based and culturally specific organizations may face in building evaluation capabilities to employ inclusive research methodologies. A recording of the webinar, available in the coming weeks, will be a great resource for local service organizations and researchers aspiring to engage in authentic and collaborative partnerships with community stakeholders.

We will alert Advancing Science subscribers when the recording is available. You also can update your subscription to receive alerts for future NIJ events by signing in to your subscriber preferences and scrolling down to select “NIJ, Events and Training Updates.”