Research at the National Institute of Justice: Looking to the Future

• NCJ Number: 164500
• Author(s): J. Travis
• Date Published: January 1995
• Length: 21 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

The work of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) was addressed at the 1995 annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences by the NIJ Director in the context of the Federal research role in crime control policy.

Abstract

The NIJ Director reviewed provisions of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, particularly with regard to Federal crimes, Federal prohibitions and penalties, the Federal role in providing for public safety, and crime prevention programs. He discussed crime control innovations, such as Federal funding for 100,000 more police officers, community-based crime prevention initiatives, multidisciplinary early intervention teams, conflict resolution and mediation training to defuse tensions and reduce crime, new technologies to enhance crime control strategies, and the development of new administrative and managerial systems to facilitate the adoption of community policing. The NIJ Director also pointed out that the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act authorizes new prison construction, the construction of alternative facilities such as boot camps for nonviolent offenders, a multidisciplinary approach to the problem of domestic violence, and drug courts. NIJ research was outlined according to five areas: violent crime, drug and alcohol-related crime, crime prevention, law enforcement and criminal justice, and new technologies. The NIJ Director noted the importance of research on violence, sentencing and punishment, and the relationship between drugs and crime. 15 notes