NIJ's Corrections Technology Center of Excellence: Addressing Cutting-Edge Corrections Technology Issues

• NCJ Number: 239773
• Author(s): Brian R. Higgins
• Date Published: October 2011
• Length: 3 pages
• Publication Series: NIJ Update
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

This article from the October 2011 edition of Corrections Today discusses the work of the National Institute of Justice’s Corrections Technology Center of Excellence.

Abstract

The primary mission of the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ’s) Corrections Technology Center of Excellence (CoE) is to assist corrections personnel transition into the use of new technologies that can help them make their operations safer and more effective. This NIJ Update, published in the October 2011 edition of Corrections Today, presents an overview of the development and mission of the Corrections Technology CoE. The CoE resulted from the reorganization of the National Law Enforcement Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system. The CoE consists of a national center and three regional centers that are organized to support agencies with similar jurisdictional and regional issues. The focus of these centers is discussed in detail in this NIJ Update. The Update also discusses the ways in which the CoE supports NIJ’s research, development, testing, and evaluation efforts. Some of the current CoE research efforts include the development of a standard for offender tracking technologies, the development of a green-technology guidebook, the management of the electronic monitoring resource center, and Field Search support and training. Information is also presented on the two major conferences sponsored each year by the CoE: the annual Innovative Technologies for Corrections Conference and the Technology Institute for Corrections, a forum that allows professionals to discuss technology initiatives and issues that affect the corrections community. 3 endnotes