U.S. flag

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

JustScience Podcast

A podcast series hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence

The NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted the JustScience podcast from 2017 to 2025. NIJ has posted episodes that were released from 2022 and 2025 and will post the remaining episodes over the coming months. 

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit – An Evidence-informed Resource For Organizations

September 2018

Participants will learn about the Vicarious Trauma Organizational Readiness Guide (VT-ORG), an evidence-informed assessment of an organization’s current capacity to address vicarious trauma.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on September 13, 2018.

Synthetic Cannabinoids - Best Practices to Perform Relevant Toxicological Testing

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018. 
 

An LC-MS-MS Method for the Analysis of Fentanyl in Postmortem and Impaired Driving Cases

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Analysis of NPS – Practical Considerations and Analytical Approaches, which is session II in the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Screening Workflows for the Identification of NPS in Forensic Toxicology Casework Using High Resolution Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectroscopy (QTOF)

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on The Synthetic Drug Crisis – Identifying NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session I in Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives & Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Qualitative Method Development and Validation for Synthetic Cannabinoids and Experience with Casework Samples

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Analysis of NPS – Practical Considerations and Analytical Approaches, which is session II in the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Outcomes Based Approaches to Toxicological Interpretation and NPS in Particular

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Development of a Standard for Confirmatory Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Analysis of NPS – Practical Considerations and Analytical Approaches, which is session II in the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

A Working Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Combatting the Synthetic Drug Crisis

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on The Synthetic Drug Crisis – Identifying NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session I in Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.
 

General Approaches to Toxicological Interpretation in MDI with a Focus on NPS Cases, Robert Middleberg

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combating the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Summaries of Case Reports and Drug Concentrations of Major NPS Categories: Opioids

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Quantitative Method Development and Validation for 18 Fentanyl Analogs and Experience with Casework Samples

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Analysis of NPS – Practical Considerations and Analytical Approaches, which is session II in the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Advances in Forensic Urine Drug Testing - Threshold Accurate Calibration (TAC)

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on The Synthetic Drug Crisis – Identifying NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session I in Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

A Medical Examiner's Perspective on the Use of Toxicology in NPS Related Cases

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Practical Considerations in Designing Methods Validation Studies for NPS Assays

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Analysis of NPS – Practical Considerations and Analytical Approaches, which is session II in the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

SWGDRUG Recommendations for Identification of Novel Psychoactive Substance Seized in Drug Casework

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on The Synthetic Drug Crisis – Identifying NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session I in Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

General Approaches to Toxicological Interpretation in MDI with a Focus on NPS Cases, Barry Logan

July 2018

This recording one of a group of presentations on Interpretative Toxicology for NPS in Forensic Casework, which is session III of the Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combating the Synthetic Drug Epidemic Online Workshop Series.

The workshop was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on July 25, 2018.

Census and Surveillance Efforts in the Medicolegal Death Investigation System

July 2018

Census and Surveillance Efforts: Insight into the U.S. Medicolegal Death Investigation System Presenters: Dr. Jeri Ropero-Miller & Dr. Hope Smiley-McDonald In 2015, nearly 2.5 million people died in the United States. Of these, about one million were referred to the nation’s medical examiner and coroner offices (MECs), which accepted about half of these cases. MEC caseloads are at all-time high because many of these deaths require a complex, in-depth investigation.

Ethics & Report Writing in Medicolegal Death Investigations

July 2018

Ethics & Report Writing Presenter: Mr. Paul Parker There are currently many resources that explore ethics within law enforcement, but there is a lack of resources on ethics within the field of medicolegal death investigation (MDI). MDI personnel are placed in a position of public trust, and it is necessary that there is a focus on the ethics, character, and behavior of MDI personnel. This session discusses professional ethics, ethical and unethical behaviors, and fostering and maintaining professional integrity.

NIJ’s Role in Strengthening the ME-Coroner System

July 2018

Medicolegal death investigators serve a fundamental role for public safety and ensuring justice by conducting death scene investigations and providing investigation services for suspected homicides and violent deaths, sudden and unexpected deaths, and deaths due to suspicious circumstances, as well as deaths related to drugs, drug overdoses, terrorism, and mass fatality incidents.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence in July 2018.

Update on Legalized Marijuana from the Mile High City

July 2018

Update on Legalized Marijuana from the Mile High City Presenter: Dr. James Caruso In 2012, the state of Colorado passed amendment 62, which allowed the possession, recreational use, production, distribution, and personal cultivation of marijuana. Since then, other states have also legalized marijuana for medical and recreational uses. This session covers the history, “discovery,” criminalization, and legalization of marijuana in Colorado and other states.

Date Published: December 9, 2025