Criminal Justice Testing and Evaluation Consortium

The Criminal Justice Testing and Evaluation Consortium (CJTEC) uses research-based methodologies to enhance the capabilities of law enforcement, courts, and corrections agencies, and act as an honest broker for the nation’s criminal justice practitioners to provide objective and rigorous testing and evaluation of existing technologies, policies, and practices.

CJTEC provides four key assets in collaboration with the National Institute of Justice:

• Technology Foraging: CJTEC monitors trends and developments related to technologies, products, and practices in areas of interest to criminal justice. Its researchers use horizon scanning and market research techniques to identify, evaluate, and compare solutions for specific criminal justice needs. Learn more about technology foraging activities.
• Testing and Evaluation: CJTEC conducts testing and evaluation activities to produce objective, performance-related information about the technologies and practices in use by criminal justice agencies. The evaluations include testing in laboratories and environments similar to the real world, comparative evaluations, evaluations in collaboration with practitioner agency deployments, and technology landscape assessments. Learn more about testing and evaluation activities.
• Compliance Testing Program: CJTEC administers the NIJ Compliance Testing Program. Administration activities include coordinating initial compliance testing; coordinating follow-up inspections with independent testing laboratories and quality assurance organizations; and making recommendations to NIJ regarding compliance of products submitted to the program. Learn more about the Compliance Testing Program.
• Equipment Standard: CJTEC supports the development, validation, and maintenance of criminal justice equipment standards to ensure the safety and efficacy of technologies bought and employed by the criminal justice community. Learn more about equipment standards.

CJTEC is funded under a cooperative agreement from NIJ and is led by RTI International, which serves as the hub for operational oversight and technical capacity for the program. RTI scientists have experience in every aspect of technology and social science relevant to the criminal justice community. It has also partnered with other institutions which bring expertise across a diverse set of science and engineering disciplines. CJTEC leverages its existing infrastructure and stakeholder networks to communicate results of its work using written reports, scientific and trade journals, a dedicated website (CJTEC.org), conferences, technology and policy and practice workshops, and other outreach mechanisms. Together, the Consortium partners work with NIJ to implement technology, product, and practice advancements that continuously improve public safety.