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Multimedia Listing

Exploring the Link Between Dating Apps and Sexual Assault

April 2023

Dr. Julie Valentine shares background information on dating app usage and user demographics to provide context for research findings on dating apps and sexual assault. Research findings are presented on sexual assaults committed at the first in-person meeting when the victim and assailant met on a dating app compared to other sexual assaults not associated with dating apps. Practice and policy recommendations are shared to improve dating app safety.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on April 4, 2023.

Bridging Generational Gaps in the Laboratory

March 2023

This webinar addresses a common cross-cultural issue experienced every day in the crime laboratory and within the greater criminal justice community, the generation gap. Simply defined as the different outlooks or opinions between individuals of different generations, this complex topic can create division within a workforce or, if understood, can elevate personnel to achieve organizational goals.

Labeling with Love or Lethal Consequences for CBD Containing Products

March 2023

The reauthorization of hemp due to the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) has caused a proliferation of products that contain cannabidiol (CBD). While CBD is considered ‘legal’ under the Farm-Bill, there are concerns that the labeling of CBD products is inaccurate, and that the products may contain other cannabinoids, including Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. Other concerns include the potential for conversion of CBD to other cannabinoids during analysis of biological matrices and in acidic foods and beverages.

How to Recruit and Retain Quality Employees

March 2023

One of the biggest challenges that Forensic Laboratories face is hiring and retaining great employees. The loss of one person has a domino effect on the operations of the laboratory and has a direct impact on the departments they serve. This presentation outlines some of the ways that the Mesa Forensic Services Laboratory and the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory Division have been able to hire and retain great employees. 

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 14, 2023.

A Leg Up: NIJ's Graduate Research Fellowship Program

March 2023

NIJ Director Dr. Nancy La Vigne joins the show to interview Dr. Marie Garcia, Director of NIJ’s Criminal Justice Systems Division and a former NIJ graduate research fellow. They discuss the application process, Marie’s experience as a fellow while at Temple University, and advice for future applicants. 

Reading and Resources from NIJ:

Inclusive Research: Engaging with the People Closest to the Issue

March 2023
In this video, NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., discusses inclusive research, one of her top priorities. NIJ is committed to supporting research that makes a positive impact on our justice system. Whatever form that research takes, we should spend time engaging with the people who are closest to the issue under study. Inclusive research is valuable because it has the potential to improve the quality of data collected and the accuracy of its interpretation and is defined by four core principles.

Director La Vigne Discusses Forensic Research and Development at NIJ

February 2023

NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., was interviewed by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. 

Utilizing the "listen, learn, and inform" model is what Nancy La Vigne, the new Director at the National Institute of Justice says will be key in implementing the Forensic Science Strategic Plan. AAFS-TV sits down with La Vigne, fresh in her new role, to discuss how she plans to help researchers and scientists achieve their goals.

Going All In – Laboratories with Completely Digital Systems

February 2023

Change can be intimidating and making a transition to a paperless system can be daunting task. This presentation discusses two perspectives on how laboratories embraced technology for administrative and casework processes, the lessons learned, and the vision for additional growth.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 2, 2023. 

NIJ Grantees Archiving Data at Repositories other than NACJD

February 2023
Much data in the natural sciences and engineering are out of scope for NACJD. We require award recipients to archive such data at a repository appropriate to the field of study. Also, be aware that, regardless of the primary data repository used, all NIJ research projects must provide study-level information to NACJD Watch this short orientation for NIJ grantees who will be archiving their data and documentation at data repositories other than NACJD.

Triaging Cases – Case Management and All That Means

January 2023

This webinar presents laboratory managers with a discussion on case management in forensic science laboratories. All forensic science laboratories struggle with caseloads and backlogs in some way and to varying extremes. The answer to this struggle is a process to manage caseloads through evidence triage, case information management, and communication. A discussion on the challenges involved in case management is followed by practical experiences in writing and implementing case management policies.

Maintaining a Positive Quality Culture during Change

January 2023

This webinar shares insight into why it is important to have a positive quality culture within a laboratory. Attendees see how establishing a culture where the proactive pursuit of quality is a positive for a laboratory. When actively pursuing quality, staff will help management navigate and be successful during the time of change. The presentation discusses how change, whether small or large, can be perceived and affect employees differently, and will provide some strategies on how to mitigate the effect change could have on their employees.

National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) Data Deposit System Overview

January 2023

Watch a detailed overview of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research's (ICPSR) online deposit system and the process for depositing data with National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD). The live demo was recorded in 2018 as part of a NACJD-OJJDP new grantee orientation webinar. The system and process are the same for other NACJD and ICPSR deposits, except that the appropriate archive should be selected when the project page for the deposit is created.

The State of Standard Development & Tools for Assessing and Implementing Standards

January 2023

This webinar introduces attendees to the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) Registry of Standards, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) on Forensic Science, and the Academy Standards Board (ASB). Attendees learn about forensic science standard development in the national and international space as well as standard implementation tools provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS).

Age Estimation from the Pubic Symphysis: Back to Basics

January 2023

The pubic symphysis joint on the pubic bone is frequently used in anthropology to estimate age-at-death in late adolescent and adult individuals. This webinar will provide a background on the age indicator, as well as a review of the anatomical features used in the age estimation methods based on this joint. The primary focus of the webinar is to help participants better interpret the written phase descriptions in pubic symphysis age estimation methods.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on January 11, 2023.

Defining and Studying Elder Abuse Polyvictimization

January 2023

NIJ Social Science Analyst Yunsoo Park shares her knowledge about elder abuse, a widespread issue in the U.S. and around the world, particularly polyvictimization — the experience of a range of different types of abuse and maltreatment. As much as 11% of community-residing older adults experienced some form of abuse or mistreatment in the past year. Yunsoo discusses risk factors, difficulties in defining and studying elder abuse polyvictimization, and strategies for intervention and prevention. Stacy Lee Reynolds, a Communications Assistant with NIJ, hosts.

Digital Caseload Processing with the NIST National Software Reference Library

December 2022

This webinar provides an overview of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Software Reference Library (NSRL) Reference Data Set (RDS). The NSRL hash set changes to a new format beginning March 2023, bringing several new capabilities into the hands of digital evidence practitioners. Examples shown enable the creation of case-specific hash sets and searches for notable files. A new update process is also demonstrated.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on December 13, 2022.

Understanding, Preventing, and Responding to Human Trafficking

December 2022
Human trafficking is an issue without a simple solution, but research on this problem is helping victims and developing tools and information to help better understand, prevent, and respond to trafficking. NIJ Scientist Mary Carlton joins host Josh Mondoro, Communications Assistant at NIJ, for a discussion about this research.

Transition Analysis 3 Age at Death Estimation: Past, Present, and Future

December 2022

The Transition Analysis 3 (TA3) age-at-death estimation method was developed as part of an international research project supported by National Institute of Justice (NIJ) award #2014-DN-BX-K007. This presentation provides a brief history of the TA3 project from its beginnings in the late 1990s to its current status two decades later. Participants learn about the iterative process used to identify traits and develop definitions and are introduced to the TA3 trait manual and generic data collection form.

Audio Forensic Analysis Procedures for User Generated Audio Recordings

November 2022

The widespread use of handheld smartphones and other devices capable of recording audio and video means that user generated recordings (UGRs) are increasingly presented as evidence in criminal investigations. Combined with other recordings from law enforcement systems, home surveillance systems, etc., the availability of UGRs may offer important audio forensic insights. Forensic handling of UGRs requires best practices for assessing authenticity and integrity of the recorded information.

Desistance from Crime: Interventions to Help Promote Desistance and Reduce Recidivism

November 2022

No single criminal justice agency can promote desistance on its own. Partnerships across state, local, and federal agencies — along with the support of family and community stakeholders — are instrumental in supporting desistance from crime and reducing recidivism.

Law enforcement, courts, corrections, and community supervision agencies play a key role in the desistance process and reducing recidivism.

Forensic Fractography of Bone A New Model for Skeletal Trauma Analysis

November 2022

Fractography is a tool for studying material failure. Analysis of cracks and fractures can reveal information about how, why, and where a fracture initiated and how a crack traveled, providing insight into the cause of failure. This webinar provides a basic introduction to forensic fractography of bone, which represents a new model for skeletal trauma that emphasizes understanding the cause of material failure rather than simply classifying fracture patterns.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on November 2, 2022.