Advancing Science: News from the NIJ Director

Did you miss the NIJ 2023 Research Conference? You’re in luck! Over the next few weeks we’ll be rolling out recorded videos, podcasts, and articles summarizing key content.

First up: a podcast hosted by NIJ’s very own Dr. Tamara Herold, who chatted with Chief Shon Barnes (Madison, WI PD) and Dr. Kimberly DuMont of the William T. Grant Foundation about the approaches the justice community can pursue to expedite evidence-based justice research into best practices in the field.

TUNE IN

A key role for NIJ is the objective and expert review of research proposals. Peer review is essential to that process, and it’s in full swing here at NIJ for FY23.

This feels like a good time to remind folks that NIJ is always seeking researchers and practitioners from across justice-related fields to sign up to be potential peer reviewers for future proposal reviews. Please consider enrolling!

BECOME A PEER REVIEWER

A new report published by the NIJ-funded Criminal Justice Testing and Evaluation Consortium reviews the wide array of current community sentiment measurement tools and methodologies. The publication underscores the need for more innovative methods, especially finding ways to leverage large data repositories. Investing in ways to accurately measure community perceptions helps law enforcement agencies assess and refine policies and practices and build trust within their communities. Relatedly, there are a few days left to enter our community perceptions open prize challenge — Innovations in Measuring Community Perceptions — due by July 31!

REVIEW REPORT

School’s out for summer, but safety concerns continue to be on the minds of students, parents (like me), and staff as we head into a new school year. Increasing school safety is a top research priority for NIJ, and this year we’ve produced several resources that underscore that commitment.

We’ve released a podcast about the Science of School Safety, findings from recent NIJ-supported school safety research, and an overview of what the science shows in Five Facts About Mass Shootings in K-12 Schools.

SCHOOL SAFETY RESOURCES