Cold cases
Closing Cases Using Gunshot Residue
Not every crime scene will have definitive evidence, such as DNA, to link an individual to a crime. In those cases, law enforcement relies on other evidence to build the burden of proof. NIJ graduate research fellow Dr. Shelby Khandasammy developed a tool to analyze organic gunshot residue and distinguish between different firearms calibers and manufacturers. She joins Marie Garcia, office director for the Office of Criminal Justice Systems at NIJ, to talk about her work and experience as a research fellow.
Cold Cases and Serial Killers (Part 1)
In April 2018, the Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo was arrested. NIJ support helped lead to his arrest, and in the aftermath of the arrest, NIJ Social Science Analyst Eric Martin was among those tasked with finding other cases NIJ helped law enforcement solve. Eric joins the show to talk about some of those cases, and answer some broader questions about serial killers: What is a serial killer? Are they on the rise? How do we know how many serial killers are currently active?
Optimization of Microhaplotypes for Advanced DNA Mixture Deconvolution
Expanding Research to Examine the Impacts of Forensic Science on the Criminal Justice System
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.
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Cold Case Investigation Units and Advances in Investigative Techniques
Sergeant Jason Moran of the Cook County (IL) Sheriff’s Office discusses the current situation of cold cases in the United States, why it’s important to establish cold case units, how current tools and technology can help solve cold cases, and what National Institute of Justice resources are available to assist in solving cold cases.
Sergeant Moran was a participant on an NIJ Saturday Session panel at IACP 2019.
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National Institute of Justice: Strengthening Science and Advancing Justice
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Notes From the Field: Expanding the Cold Case Team Beyond Law Enforcement
Notes From the Field
Those working in the criminal justice system should always use research and evidence to inform their policies, practices, and work. However, leaders often need to make decisions based on limited information and under unpredictable or even volatile circumstances. Sometimes there simply isn’t research available yet to help inform decisions on emerging issues.
Notes From the Field is not a research-based publication. Instead, it presents lessons...
Cold Case Investigations
Experience has shown that cold case programs can solve a substantial number of violent crime cold cases, including homicides and sexual assaults. Advances in DNA technologies have substantially increased the successful DNA analysis of aged, degraded, limited, or otherwise compromised biological evidence. As a result, crime scene samples once thought to be unsuitable for testing may now yield DNA profiles. Additionally, samples that previously generated...
Opening the Black Box of NIBIN
Bill King discusses the operations of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a program through which firearms examiners at state and local crime laboratories compare tool marks on fired bullets or cartridges found at a crime scene to digitized images of ballistic evidence in a nationwide database.
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Don't Jump the Shark: Understanding Deterrence and Legitimacy in the Architecture of Law Enforcement
Deterrence theory dominates the American understanding of how to regulate criminal behavior but social psychologists' research shows that people comply for reasons that have nothing to do with fear of punishment; they have to do with values, fair procedures and how people connect with one another. Professor Meares discussed the relevance of social psychologists' emerging theory to legal theory and practice and how deterrence and emerging social psychology theories intertwine.
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Impact of Research and Development on Lab Efficiency and Operations
Forensic science research and development is critical to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's crime laboratories. Watch how the National Institute of Justice takes an idea from a need to a reality in the laboratory.
You may also be interested in our video Why Is There an Evidence Backlog?
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The Impact of National Institute of Justice’s Solving Cold Cases with DNA Program
Practitioners from across the criminal justice system speak to the impact of NIJ's Solving Cold Cases with DNA grant program.
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The Importance and Impact of Cold Case Units
Practitioners from across the criminal justice system speak to the importance of cold case units and the impact they can have.
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"Sentinel Event" Review in the Criminal Justice System
Listen to James Doyle discuss the basics of a "sentinel event" review in the criminal justice system. This learning-from-error approach borrows from principles that medicine, aviation and other high-risk enterprises have successfully used. Former NIJ Fellow Doyle offers the basics to understand this innovative idea that takes a system-wide perspective of error, bringing all stakeholders together in a non-blaming, forward-looking way after a bad outcome, such as a wrongful conviction, occurs.
Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel
Panelists will present findings from two NIJ studies that examined the DNA backlog in law enforcement agencies and crime labs. Panelists will discuss research findings related to new and potential time- and cost-saving approaches.
Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories
NIJ Conference Panel
Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies, FY 2019
Notice
In fiscal 2020, all state and local forensic capacity enhancement programs previously managed by NIJ moved to the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The awards made under this solicitation now are being managed by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. To see the complete list of awards, visit the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The goals of the Prosecuting Cold Cases using Forensic Technology solicitation are...