NIJ Journal Issue No. 275

• NCJ Number: 248775
• Journal: National Institute of Justice Journal Issue: 275 Dated: September 2015 Pages: 1-60
• Date Published: September 2015
• Length: 60 pages
• Publication Series: NIJ Journal
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description; Instructional Material

Annotation

Feature articles address GPS supervision in California; assisting at-risk youth to say "No" to gangs; planning for program evaluation; technology that restores obliterated serial numbers; creating standards for equipment; the background for NIJ's social science research on forensic science; and testing the effectiveness of an IPV (intimate partner violence) intervention.

Abstract

"GPS Supervision in California: One Technology, Two Contrasting Goals" reports on two NIJ-supported studies with different results, showing that GPS technology can help prevent crime in various ways. "Helping At-Risk Youth Say 'No' to Gangs" reports on a NIJ-funded evaluation that found a revised curriculum and greater attention to teacher training improved a program to prevent gang membership among at-risk youth. "Plan for Program Evaluation From the Start" emphasizes including an evaluation plan and its data requirements in the program's design and management requirements. "Magneto-Optical Sensors Bring Obliterated Serial Numbers Back to Life" explains how a sensor technology first developed for medical use is being adapted for the detection and visualization of obliterated firearms serial numbers. "An Inside Look at Creating Standards for Equipment" explains how the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) develops performance standards for the equipment used by criminal justice agencies, so as to ensure its quality and performance. "Social Science Research on Forensic Science: The Story Behind One of NIJ's Newest Research Portfolios" provides background information on the rationale for NIJ's initiation of an entirely new line of research in 2005, i e., social science research on issues related to forensic science. "Research Designs in the Real World: Testing the Effectiveness of an IPV Intervention" presents a case study of the factors that determine the appropriate research design for the evaluation of an IPV intervention.