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Applied Research

Public Criminology: Charting the Course from Evidence to Action

Celebrating 10 Years of NIJ’s Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholars Program - 2024 NIJ Research Conference

September 2024

In 2014, NIJ established the Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholars Program to support research-minded, mid-career sworn law enforcement officers working to integrate research into agency policy and practice. The LEADS Scholars Program helps participants develop independent research and provides support to identify current evidence on priority issues.

Driving Down Gun Violence, Part 2

June 2023

Three LEADS Scholars serving in different law enforcement agencies and positions discuss their experiences with identifying and implementing evidence-based interventions to reduce gun violence. NIJ Senior Advisor Dr. Tamara Herold hosts this conversation with guests Police Chief Cecilia Ashe (Milford Delaware Police Department), Chief of Staff Lieutenant Matthew Barter (Manchester, NH Police Department), and Analytical Services Manager Mr. Jason Schiess (Durham, NC Police Department).

Economic Justice for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

October 2022
Financial abuse is a common strategy used by those who abuse to gain power and control. The first panelist will discuss how intimate partner violence intersects with economic justice. In the second panelist's presentation, intimate partner violence shelter approaches and housing policies will be addressed. The final panelist will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on economic security and survivors’ experiences of economic hardship.

In Acceptance of the SEARCH 2022 Justice Policy Leadership Award

NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., gives acceptance speech at 2022 SEARCH Meeting
NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D.

Thank you, Dave, and thanks to the SEARCH Board for choosing me as this year’s recipient of the Justice Policy Leadership Award. I am tremendously honored. I also want to thank the wait staff here for taking such good care of us this evening — please join me in thanking them all!

If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time that SEARCH has awarded...

Applying the Latest Research to Prevent Bullying: Empowering Schools to Change Behavior & Attitudes

January 2020

Bullying prevention is an important aspect of school safety. During this webinar, co-sponsored by NIJ and the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention, renowned bullying prevention researchers will share information schools can use to address bullying. This information will include helping teachers respond to bullying in the classroom and giving students who see bullying tools to take action to address it. 

Protecting Against Stress & Trauma: Research Lessons for Law Enforcement – Research & Practice

October 2019
At this Research for the Real World seminar, NIJ brought together law enforcement practitioners and leading researchers in the field of stress to discuss the current research evidence and practical benefits of targeted stress-management interventions and how they can promote officer mental wellness. In addition, this gathering provided an exploration into what additional research is needed to best support officer health and wellness, potentially highlighting priority areas for future research.

Children Exposed to Violence

June 2010

Panelists will discuss the results of the recent Office of Juvenile Justice and ​Delinquency Prevention's National Survey on Children's Exposure to Violence and findings from a seven-year follow-up study, funded by NIJ, on home visitation in New York. The survey's findings included startling figures: More than 60 percent of the children interv​iewed were exposed to violence, crime and abuse within the past year, and more than 1 in 10 were injured in an assault.

The Evaluation of NIJ by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences: NIJ's Response

June 2011

The National Academies conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the National Institute of Justice. This panel provides an overview of the evaluation and NIJ's response to it. NIJ has accepted many of the recommendations in the NRC report, and you will learn what the agency is doing to implement them. A few of the recommendations were challenging and created considerable debate within NIJ. Plans to address these thorny issues also are discussed.

Director’s Corner: Data at Your Fingertips — the National Law Enforcement Applied Research and Data Platform

There are a number of adjectives used to describe different types of research — applied, basic, evaluation, operational, and others. During my time as the Director of NIJ, I want to make sure we add “useful” to those descriptors.

One project that I am very excited about, and that promises great utility for law enforcement agencies is the National Law Enforcement Applied Research and Data...

Addiction, the Brain, and Evidence-Based Treatment

March 2012

The criminal justice system encounters and supervises a large number of drug abusing persons. Punishment alone is a futile and ineffective response to the problem of drug abuse. Addiction is a chronic brain disease with a strong genetic component that in most instances requires treatment. Involvement in the criminal justice system provides a unique opportunity to treat drug abuse disorders and related health conditions, thereby improving public health and safety.

Funding Opportunities for Publicly Funded Crime Labs, Fiscal Year 2017

January 2017

This webinar will inform the audience of the changes to three programs available for publicly funded forensic laboratories and introduce a new program for FY 2017. Changes to existing programs will be highlighted and presenters will discuss the background and goals of the solicitations, recommendations for successful applications, application expectations and requirements, the review process, and the application checklist. There will also be time for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.

Solicitations discussed include:

Director's Message: Building Our Next Generation of Researchers

Two students working on a paper
Thinkstock, royalty-free (see reuse policy).

As colleges and universities across the country begin a new academic year, I want to discuss one of my high-priority goals — supporting the research activities of new and emerging scholars. These creative thinkers from a variety of disciplines are proposing innovative ideas to study and solve criminal justice problems. I am proud to offer my support in the form of fellowships and research assistantships...