U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Multimedia Listing

Vulnerable Victims: Forensic Pathology of Child Abuse, Part 1

Content Advisory
Please be aware that this content contains descriptions of violence that may be distressing to some viewers.
March 2017

These presentations highlight specific case studies from a pathologist’s perspective. Jamie Downs, M.D., discussed several topics, including best practices for identifying child abuse and the difference between manner of death and cause of death.

Forensic Entomology Overview, Part 1

March 2017

Entomology has a multitude of uses when it comes to forensic investigation. Whether investigators are estimating post-mortem interval or trying to understand damage dealt to a corpse after death, insects and their behaviors may provide clues or missing information. In this presentation, Neal Haskell, Ph.D., discussed specific case studies and how forensic entomology aided these investigations.

Human Trafficking in the U.S. and Worldwide Including Dental Aspects, Part 2

March 2017

Identifying victims of human trafficking has a unique set of obstacles, often compounded by language barriers or the victim’s unwillingness to work with law enforcement. Uncovering even the most basic information about victims, both alive and dead, can be a challenge. John P. Kenney, D.D.S., discussed a method for using teeth to determine the ages of unknown victims in this presentation.

Tiffany's Story: The Impact of Abusive Head Trauma on the Family, Part 2

Content Advisory
Please be aware that this content contains descriptions of violence that may be distressing to some viewers.
March 2017

Over the twenty years following the tragic abuse of her child, Bonnie Armstrong has worked tirelessly to pursue justice, support victim’s families, and prevent child abuse in its many forms. Through case consultation, legislative lobbying, and the development of forensic training programs, Armstrong and The Shaken Baby Alliance seek to end child abuse. In her introduction, Armstrong shared the story of her child’s abuse at the hands of the baby’s father and the impact that The Shaken Baby Alliance makes in the fight against abuse.

Game Over The Prosecution of Mel Hall, Part 2

March 2017

Former Major League Baseball player Mel Hall is known for many things, but his athletic career is shadowed by a severe crime: preying on underage girls. In 2009, Hall was convicted of three counts of sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child. In this presentation, survivor Chaz discussed her personal story and the methods Hall used to manipulate her family into trusting him.

Elder Abuse: Domestic Violence and Special Needs Victims, Part 3

March 2017

The elderly and those living with special needs are two of the most vulnerable populations in our society. As such, additional care and knowledge is necessary to investigate these cases. Jamie Downs, M.D., provided detailed case studies, best practices for investigating these cases, and other noteworthy topics in this presentation.

Forensic Investigative Techniques and Case Consultations, Part 2

Content Advisory
Please be aware that this content contains descriptions of violence that may be distressing to some viewers.
March 2017

In the final presentation of the day, Bonnie Armstrong and Jamie Downs, M.D., speak with investigators about case consultation and evidence collection techniques. Topics include: photography, search warrants, multidisciplinary teams, and the information that can be gained from an autopsy.

The Poison of a Mother's Love: The Hope Ybarra Investigation of Medical Child Abuse, Part 3

Content Advisory
Please be aware that this content contains descriptions of violence that may be distressing to some viewers.
March 2017

Munchausen Syndrome by proxy is  rare but debilitating for both the parent and the victim. Due to its rarity, investigating and proving the existence of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy is exceptionally difficult. In this presentation, Mike Weber of the Tarrant County, TX, District Attorney’s Office explained how he collected evidence for the case of Hope Ybarra.

Examining Police Officer Crime

February 2017
Dr. Philip Stinson, Bowling Green State University, discusses the findings of his research on crimes committed by police officers.

Based on the research findings, law enforcement officers appear to commit crimes at a much lower rate than the general public. However, in some cases, at times due to the stressors of the job and frequent exposure to trauma and violence, officers engage in misconduct or criminal behavior.

Police Officer Crimes and Police Integrity

February 2017
Dr. Philip Stinson, Bowling Green State University, discusses the findings of his research on crimes committed by police officers.

However, in some cases, at times due to the stressors of the job and frequent exposure to trauma and violence, officers engage in misconduct or criminal behavior. The National Institute of Justice understands what’s at stake for public safety and officer wellness when we ignore warning signs of officers struggling with occupational hazards and other psychological hardships.

Funding Opportunities for Publicly Funded Crime Labs, Fiscal Year 2017

January 2017

This webinar will inform the audience of the changes to three programs available for publicly funded forensic laboratories and introduce a new program for FY 2017. Changes to existing programs will be highlighted and presenters will discuss the background and goals of the solicitations, recommendations for successful applications, application expectations and requirements, the review process, and the application checklist. There will also be time for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.

Solicitations discussed include:

Dreamland: Sam Quinones Explores America's Opiate Epidemic

January 2017

Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and author of three books of narrative nonfiction. His latest book is Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic (Bloomsbury, 2015), which will be discussed in this webinar.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in January 2017.

Understanding the Science-Practice Gap

December 2016
In this video Jessica Shaw, Ph.D., describes what she learned about the science-practice gap while working as a translational criminology fellow at NIJ. She discusses what the science-practice gap is, how research intermediaries work to bridge that gap, how organizations and individuals can have gaps, and the importance of interdisciplinarity.

Research Assistantship Opportunities at NIJ

December 2016

The NIJ Research Assistantship Program (RAP) is designed to provide highly qualified doctoral students with practical and applied research experience in criminal justice issues. NIJ provides funds to participating universities to pay salaries and other costs associated with research assistants who work on NIJ research activities.

This webinar reviews the opportunities that are currently available for the 2017-2018 academic year and will cover the application process, eligibility requirements and application deadlines.

Presenters include:

Preventing Gun Violence: Understanding Law Enforcement Response and Improving Multi-disciplinary Partnerships for Peace

November 2016

This Research for the Real World seminar explores common police practices for responding to gun violence and the extent to which they are contributing to reductions in violent incidents. The panel will also explore the role of multi-disciplinary partners such as the public health sector in reducing gun violence, and discuss promising practices for law enforcement partnerships to leverage complimentary violence reduction efforts.

Using Research to Understand Cyberbullying

October 2016
Dr. Megan Moreno, Center for Child Health, Behavioral and Human Development at Seattle Children’s, discusses how important it is to have a common definition of cyberbullying in order to develop effective prevention and intervention programs. She leads a NIJ-supported research project to help us understand cyberbullying among children and teens.

Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men

October 2016
This video describes the findings of a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) supported study on the prevalence of violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men. Specifically, the study provides estimates of sexual violence, physical violence by intimate partners, stalking, and psychological aggression by intimate partners over the lifetime of American Indian and Alaska Native women and men as well as victimization estimates over of the past year (based on 2010 data).

Find School Safety Programs on CrimeSolutions

October 2016
Dr. Stephanie Gerstenblith, Development Services Groups, discusses how to use CrimeSolutions to find evidence-based programs and practices that can improve school safety. Many of these programs were added to CrimeSolutions under NIJ’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative.

Dr. Gerstenblith also addresses the lack of strong evaluations of school safety programs that schools are implementing and invested in; and the opportunity that presents for the research community.

Environmental Scan of Criminal Justice Responses to Justice-Involved Young Adults

October 2016
The informational webinar will discuss the results of the recently published Environmental Scan of Developmentally Appropriate Criminal Justice Responses to Justice-Involved Young Adults produced by NIJ. It will provide a launching point for us to connect with others doing similar work and plan for future meetings to discuss research gaps and research needs of those providing programming to justice-involved young adults.