Articles Published by NIJ

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.

Researchers integrate two independent, validated drug-testing techniques – mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy – onto a single platform prototype for fast and accurate analysis of seized substances.

The substances tested in cases involving seized drugs are always evolving. By establishing policies on the most critical samples to test and maintaining ongoing communication with stakeholders, laboratories can more efficiently manage a backlog.

In response to a National Academy of Sciences report calling for more research on the variability of burn patterns, Underwriters Laboratories scientists conducted studies on how ventilation affects fire patterns in residential structures.

Nanoparticles and other subvisible particles potentially present in nearly all trace evidence are often overlooked in forensic investigations. NIJ-supported researchers have characterized several types of particles and developed detection methods.

Analyzing illicit drugs such as methamphetamine is difficult because the drugs break down when heated in gas chromatographs. Investigators determined that a new method can avoid the heat issue and improve results.

Identifying individuals through next generation DNA sequencing may involve degraded or mixed samples. A researcher has developed a technique to make fragmented DNA more readable, and a method to help pull individual profiles from mixed samples.

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.

For law enforcement, overcoming the opioid crisis will mean gaining a deep, science-driven understanding of its dimensions. NIJ gathered a cross section of experts to identify priority research needs and action items.