Articles Published by NIJ

NIJ-supported studies are examining whether an evidence-based delinquency prevention program can be modified to prevent gang involvement and reduce the criminal activities of gang members.

The National Institute of Justice has helped drive development of face algorithms since the 1990s, and NIJ expects to remain engaged as the technology evolves and the operating requirements mature.

Recently completed research supported by NIJ, closely comparing different types of facial analysis algorithms — including a long-time law enforcement workhorse — reveals that high-powered, deep neural networks can deliver improved performance.

Electronic cigarettes, first introduced in the U.S. market in 2006, have evolved from nicotine delivery systems to sophisticated, customizable devices that can deliver a range of illicit drugs.

The forensic power of DNA is clear, but biological evidence also contains RNA, another potential source of information. Because RNA decomposes quickly, its utility is considered limited. Could this decomposition provide information about a sample’s age?

Missing persons cases are overwhelming — not just for families, but for communities as a whole. When someone goes missing and is never found, families lack closure. The impact of the loss can spread through the whole community.

Humans transfer trace signatures of unique colonies of microbes on our skin to objects we touch. The tiny size of that signature make it difficult for investigators to identify an individual. Research now has made that identification more likely.

The regions of the genome relied on for identification of individuals pose challenges for analysts because they often produce artifacts during processing. NIJ-funded research has led to a solution that lessens the artifact problem.

Key questions have arisen about how DNA data are to be interpreted statistically. Two NIJ grants have supported research that has far-reaching implications for testing hypotheses using DNA evidence and expressing confidence in the conclusions reached.