Articles Published by NIJ

Summary of a plenary panel from the 2024 NIJ Research Conference

Researchers identified and described best practices for law enforcement interviewing of trafficking victims, based on the literature.

Three NIJ-funded evaluations enhance our understanding about the effectiveness of technology-based services for victims who experience crime and violence.

Scientific study finds that many widely recognized indicators of trafficking in online escort ads are likely not reliable. Research also produces new practice guide.

An Overview of NIJ's Research Portfolio

Chat lines and text lines can be lifelines for victims of crime and trauma who need help.

Evaluation of state-based task forces using “Enhanced Collaborative Model” reveals steady gains but recommends improvements, such as a more balanced approach to sex and labor trafficking.

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.

A study of Kentucky’s safe harbor laws revealed they have helped decriminalize sex-trafficked youth. However, the study also highlighted a lack of resources and training for child welfare personnel and judges who work with these youth.

Labor trafficking is a global affliction cloaked in quantitative uncertainty. One research team used a new analytical approach in search of better clarity on the presence, treatment, and possible trafficking of migrant farmworkers in North Carolina.

Integrating forensic evidence into the intelligence process is an evolutionary next step in reducing, disrupting, and preventing violent crime.

Deficient data on the incidence of human trafficking offenses reflect pervasive issues with incident identification and reporting, a study combining stakeholder interviews and data analysis shows.

An expert workshop on a hidden hub of crime on the internet identified priority investigative needs, including demystifying the “dark web”, training investigators to identify dark web evidence and activity, and building cross-jurisdictional partnerships.

As NamUs nears its 10th anniversary, we reflect on the program’s history, successes, and continued commitment to helping families.

With support from the National Institute of Justice, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the state of Nevada teamed up to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault kits.