Following are articles published by the National Institute of Justice
Role of Human Services During Community Supervision
Executive summary
The Search for a Microbial Death Clock
Criminal investigators use physiological changes and insect development to determine how long a body has been dead, but scientists are using the trillions of microbes involved in human decomposition to find more accurate postmortem intervals.
Using Data and Science to Understand the Impact of COVID–19 on Corrections
Recruitment, Assessment, and Retention in the Direct Care Workforce for Individuals With Criminal Records: A Comprehensive Model Approach
Executive Summary
In North American Somali Communities, A Complex Mix of Factors Influence Gang Involvement, Violent Extremism
NIJ-supported research points to the value of targeting multiple social conditions as a strategy for reducing radicalization.
Facilitating Forensic Research in Multiple Fields Using a Unique Computed Tomography Dataset
A new postmortem image database will be a resource for research in forensic anthropology, pathology, and radiology.
Algorithm Quantifies What Experts See When They Examine Skeletons
Researchers created an open-access computer program for estimating the age of skeletal remains that outperforms current methods. The algorithm is based on 20 age-related skeletal changes identified by experienced forensic anthropologists.
Dual System Youth: At the Intersection of Child Maltreatment and Delinquency
Youth who have experienced both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems have complex needs that require collaborative, multipronged interventions.
Roadmap to Violence Against Women Research: The NIJ Compendium
Crime and Desistance: Probing How Probationers' Thoughts on Crime May Inform Their Conduct
Researchers counsel caution on interpreting probationer cognitions — thoughts and thought patterns — as predictors of desistance from crime.
Redesigning Risk and Need Assessment in Corrections
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: An Incomplete Picture of a Pressing Global Problem
Improved prevalence data, increased understanding, and collaboration between stakeholders are key elements to mounting an effective response to female genital mutilation.
For Spanish-Speaking Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, Some Measures of Economic Empowerment Are Lost in Translation
Language-specific measures of economic empowerment are vital to helping women break the cycle of violence, NIJ-supported research finds.
The Forensic Microbiome: The Invisible Traces We Leave Behind
“Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him.” Edmond Locard (1877-1966), forensic science pioneer
Using Forensic Intelligence Analysts to Drive Gun Crime Investigations
Mentoring Programs for Youth: A Promising Intervention for Delinquency Prevention
To realize the full potential of youth mentoring programs, it is critical to advance research on program effectiveness and population-level impact.
Genetic Variants Linked to Sudden Unexplained Deaths
Researchers improve molecular autopsy accuracy by identifying more genetic variants that could lead to sudden unexplained deaths. These genetic clues may better inform criminal investigations and help prevent deaths in surviving family members.
Student Threat Assessment: Virginia Study Finds Progress, Areas To Improve
Research finds that school-initiated threat assessments are a good alternative to zero-tolerance policies for keeping students safe, but better data and assessment team resources are needed.
Cyberbullying in Schools: Meta-Analysis Finds That Tailored Programming Protects Students
A sweeping synthesis of 90 independent interventions points to benefits of school programs specifically designed to stop cyberbullying.
Crime Victim Legal Assistance Networks: Evaluating a New Service Model
Too often crime victims experience unmet civil legal needs. The Office for Victims of Crime set up a legal assistance network demonstration to help those victims. An NIJ evaluation of the new model returned mixed results.
Drug-Impaired Driving: NIJ-Sponsored Panel Points to Priority Needs for Addressing Complex Enforcement Challenges
As more states legalize marijuana, the search for better methods of proving and preventing drug impairment on the road accelerates.
School Safety: Research on Gathering Tips and Addressing Threats
A new area of research suggests that schools should have a systematic and coordinated approach in place to gather and process information on threats, respond appropriately, and document the response.
New Method for Measuring Human Decomposition Could Significantly Impact Medicolegal Death Investigations
Improving postmortem interval estimation with standardized and simplified protocols could significantly impact medicolegal death investigations by providing more accurate and reliable data for determining time since death.
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana Intoxication
Researchers investigated how marijuana affects skills required for safe driving and found that biofluid levels of THC did not correlate with field sobriety test performance or marijuana intoxication, regardless of how the cannabis was ingested.