Multimedia Listing

Hair evidence collected as part of a forensic investigation has the potential to provide valuable source information through DNA analysis of its root. This webinar discusses the process of utilizing Hematoxylin staining in forensic casework as an indicator of hair root DNA suitability. The presenters demonstrate the process of staining hair roots with Hematoxylin, as well as provide visual examples of stained hair roots.

Scientists from three participating laboratories - University of Central Florida (UCF), Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), and InnoGenomics (IGT) - presented results obtained from mock sexual assault samples using the SpermX method and their in-house differential extraction method. All three laboratories processed identical sets of female:male mixture swabs at various ratios in triplicate and presented their experiences and insights from this study.

The use of risk management has been historically absent from the management of forensic science laboratories. While ISO 31000 (Risk Management Principles and Guidelines) and ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) emphasized risk management, it was not until ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 highlighted its importance that forensic science managers began to take note. Even since its inclusion in ISO/IEC 17025, there remains a misunderstanding on what risk management is and how it can be used to improve laboratory operations.

The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence recently published a collection of five articles as a Special Issue in Forensic Science International (FSI): Synergy. These articles are known collectively as the Human Factors in Forensic Science Practice Sourcebook.  The sourcebook is intended to educate forensic science practitioners and managers on the ways human factors can impact forensic science practice both positively and negatively and to expand the discussion beyond issues of bias.

When faced with a situation that defies existing policy or past experiences, managers need to be ready to lead their teams and/or calmly advise and guide their own commanders. Table-top exercises are an efficient way to deliver this training and improve your teams' readiness for unexpected crises.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in 2022.
 

Presenters provided an overview of some of the more unique concealment methods utilized by drug traffickers, as well as some of the sampling and extraction methods used to prepare these submissions for analyses. They also discussed trends associated with counterfeit tablets containing fentanyl seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ National Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 26, 2022.

With the rise of illicit fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, synthetic cathinones, xylazine, and other substances adulterating many traditional street drugs, users often have no idea what they are consuming, leading to overdose and death.  This further complicates toxicology testing and death determination.  This presentation will cover interesting postmortem case studies from Ohio, Denver, and Miami from the scene perspective through autopsy and toxicology testing.

This presentation will review substance use disorder treatment admissions and impacts on Native people residing in Minnesota. Special attention will be paid to geographic areas of the state impacted and specific illegal substances prominent with Native people in Minnesota using both treatment admission and overdose data.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on May 10, 2022.

NIJ hosted a webinar to discuss under-researched aspects of reentry: expungement of criminal records and the impact of those records. This webinar includes a presentation of ongoing research projects examining the impact of legal aid for expungement and past research projects studying the accuracy and permanency of criminal records and the prevalence of collateral consequences of conviction. A Q&A session will conclude this webinar.

The National Institute of Justice’s Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning (TLS) Working Group was convened to create consensus-based best practices that standardize and improve the use of TLS in criminal justice applications. This webinar is intended to serve as a general overview of the technology, its use in scene documentation and reconstruction, and key takeaways of the resulting best practice guidelines.

This webinar was hosted by the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on  May 3, 2022.

This webinar will highlight the importance of conducting a victim-centered, trauma-informed investigative interview for sexual assault cases. Trauma-informed investigative interviews lay the foundation for improved victim engagement with the criminal justice system and increased ability to resolve sexual assault cases.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 26, 2022

Sexual violence is a significant criminal justice problem with long-term effects for its victims. In particular, sexual assault on or related to college campuses across the United States presents a growing public health and economic burden, starting with significant impacts on academic outcomes.

Reauthorized in 2018, the Second Chance Act (SCA) aims to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people returning from state and federal prisons, local jails, and juvenile facilities through the provision of federal grants. During this panel, National Institute of Justice-funded researchers will detail two ongoing evaluations of the SCA grant program:

1. An evaluation of the effectiveness of the SCA grant program per Title V of the First Step Act.
2. A longitudinal examination of the long-term impacts of the SCA program.

This webinar will explore the prevalence of strangulation in sexual assault cases, including considerations for evidence collection and supporting victims. This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 14, 20222

This webinar discusses the impact that the pandemic has had on the physical and emotional wellness of employees in the laboratory setting and will focus on personnel issues that workplaces may experience following the pandemic. Topics that will be covered include supervising employees working in a remote environment, implementing hybrid working programs, and bringing employees back into the office.

Over several decades, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has made significant contributions to the field of reentry, specifically what works for whom and when. In recent years, however, the global pandemic has made it increasingly difficult to conduct research on and with populations involved with the justice system. During this time, many researchers assessing various justice-related outcomes were unable to continue their inquiries as planned due to a lack of access to their populations of interest, forcing many to pivot and rethink their research designs.