From The Director: NIJ's Role in Strengthening Policing Science - Part II

• NCJ Number: 250254
• Author(s): Nancy Rodriguez
• Date Published: August 2016
• Length: 5 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

This article from Police Chief reviews the ways in which the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) - the research, development, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Justice Department - is funding research that addresses the six topic areas (“pillars”) of promising policing strategies and practices addressed in the recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

Abstract

The Task Force’s first pillar is “Building Trust and Legitimacy.” NIJ has funded research that examined the effectiveness of crime-fighting strategies and their potential to influence community trust and confidence in the police. Some examples of such research are provided. The second pillar is “Policy and Oversight.” NIJ has funded research into early intervention systems (EI) designed to identify personnel whose work behaviors warrant early intervention. A third pillar is “Technology and Social Media.” NIJ has a long-standing program that supports the research, development, and evaluation of technology for use within the criminal justice system. The fourth pillar is “Community Policing and Crime Prevention.” NIJ continues to invest in research and evaluation of innovative crime-reduction efforts. Most recently, NIJ expanded efforts to better understand how to reduce school violence and improve school safety. The fifth pillar is “Training and Education.” NIJ is committed to creating knowledge that supports the effective training and professional development of police officers. The sixth pillar is “Officer Wellness and Safety.” One example of NIJ’s focus on this issue is funding research on the impact of shift-work lengths on officer performance, including the development of a screening device that assesses personnel for risk of prevalent sleep disorders as a potential result of shift work.