Articles Published by NIJ

New systems allow high-definition scans of bullets and cartridge cases to be shared and compared virtually.

NIJ’s evaluation of veterans treatment courts is a recent example of applied research under its Courts Research Portfolio, which examines pretrial, prosecution, and sentencing policies; problem-solving courts, and other alternatives to incarceration.

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.

“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

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.

Two leading funding agencies renew a joint commitment to evaluate and support scientific activities relevant to criminal justice.

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.

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.