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Capacity enhancement

Tribal-Researcher Capacity-Building Grants Solicitation, Fiscal Year 2021

Closing Date
With this solicitation, NIJ seeks applications to fund new tribal-researcher capacity-building planning grants involving scientists working with tribal nations and organizations to develop tangible and mutually beneficial criminal or juvenile justice research studies that are rigorous and culturally appropriate. Research proposals must be tribally driven and address the challenges of fighting crime and strengthening justice systems in Indian country and Alaska Native villages.

Expanding Research to Examine the Impacts of Forensic Science on the Criminal Justice System

December 2020

In 2004, the National Institute of Justice created the social science research on forensic sciences (SSRFS) research program to explore the impact of forensic sciences on the criminal justice system and the administration of justice. Much of the early research from the SSRFS program focused on DNA processing and the use of DNA in investigations and prosecutions.

Tribal-Researcher Capacity Building Grants Solicitation, Fiscal Year 2020

Closing Date
NIJ actively supports research that involves federally recognized tribes (or tribally-based organizations) on issues of crime and justice in the United States. In doing so, NIJ is committed to ethical and engaged efforts in line with responsible research conduct and federal trust responsibilities. This solicitation seeks applications for funding for planning grants to develop new and innovative criminal and juvenile justice research or evaluation projects...

Strengthening Our Nation's Crime Laboratories

April 2018

As technology improves, demand for analysis of DNA and other forensic evidence to help solve crimes grows. This video describes some of the challenges crime laboratories face in meeting this demand and how National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funding has strengthened crime labs and encouraged innovation in forensic techniques.

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.