U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Crime analysis

Benefit-Cost Analysis for Crime Policy

February 2011
Series
Research for the Real World

How do we decide how to allocate criminal justice resources in a way that minimizes the social harms from both crime and policy efforts to control crime? How, for that matter, do we decide how much to spend on the criminal justice system and crime control generally, versus other pressing needs? These questions are at the heart of benefit-cost analysis.

See the YouTube Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy

The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?

June 2010

Panelists debate the premise of a Harvard Executive Session working paper that suggests police organizations are striving for a "new" professionalism. Leaders are endeavoring for stricter standards of efficiency and conduct, while also increasing their legitimacy to the public and encouraging innovation. Is this new? Will this idea lead to prematurely discarding community policing as a guiding philosophy?

Transcript
The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?
Audio file
1 of 4: The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?, Ellen Scrivner, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 4: The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?, Christopher Stone, Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Professor of the Practice of Criminal Justice, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University , 3 of 4: The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?, David Sklansky, Yosef Osheawich Professor of Law and Faculty Chair, Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law , 4 of 4: The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?, Ronald Davis, Chief, East Palo Alto Police Department, Calif.

Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System

June 2010

Evidence backlogs have been known to be an issue in crime laboratories. A recent study published by NIJ has shown that backlogs of untested evidence are also an issue in law enforcement evidence storage. This panel will discuss the issues and present preliminary findings from a study of the Los Angeles Police Department's and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's experience with clearing out a large backlog of unanalyzed rape kits.

Transcript
Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System
Audio file
1 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Gerry LaPorte, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles , 3 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Kevin J. Strom, Senior Research Scientist, Crime, Violence, and Justice Research Program, RTI International , 4 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles , 5 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Dean M. Gialamas, Director, Scientific Services Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department , 6 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles , 7 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Jeffrey Nye, DNA Technical Leader, Forensic Science Division, Michigan State Police , 8 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles

Situational Approaches to Making Communities and Correction Institutions Safer

June 2010

NIJ Conference panelists will present the results of three studies that applied situational crime prevention (SCP) principles: (1) an evaluation of the Safe City initiative in Chula Vista, Calif., designed to combine the expertise and resources of local law enforcement, retailers and the community to increase the safety of designated retail areas; (2) a randomized controlled trial (in partnership with the Washington Metro Transit Police) that assessed the effectiveness of SCP to reduce car crime in Metro's parking facilities; and (3) an evaluation of the impact of SCP

Transcript
Situational Approaches to Making Communities and Correction Institutions Safer
Audio file
1 of 4: Situational Approaches to Making Communities and Correction Institutions Safer, Winnie Reed, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 4: Situational Approaches to Making Communities and Correction Institutions Safer, Nancy La Vigne, Director, Justice Policy Institute, Urban Institute , 3 of 4: Situational Approaches to Making Communities and Correction Institutions Safer, Gary Wedge, Captain, Administrative Services Division, Chula Vista Police Department, Calif. , 4 of 4: Situational Approaches to Making Communities and Correction Institutions Safer, Tara H. Wildes, Chief, Jails Division, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Fla.

Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel

June 2009

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.

Transcript
Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel
Audio file
1 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Mark Nelson, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Kevin Lothridge, Chief Executive Officer, National Forensic Science Technology Center , 3 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Kevin J. Strom, Senior Research Scientist, Crime, Violence, and Justice Research Program, RTI International , 4 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Greg Matheson, Director, Los Angeles Police Department Criminalistics Laboratory , 5 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Question and Answer Session

Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories

May 2010

NIJ Conference Panel
 

Transcript
Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories
Audio file
1 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, William A. Ford, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Aaron Gorrell, President and CEO, Waterhole Software Inc. , 3 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Michael O'Berry, Operations Manager, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, National Forensic Science Technology Center , 4 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Kevin Kosiorek, Criminalist, Serology Section, Crime Laboratory Unit, Boston Police Department , 5 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Jim Markey, Sergeant, Phoenix Police Department , 6 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Aaron Gorrell, President and CEO, Waterhole Software Inc.

Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions

May 2010

The management of sexual offenders in the community post-release is an issue of increasing concern to law enforcement, policymakers and the public. In recent years, efforts to strengthen registration and notification have been enhanced. At the same time, comparatively little attention has been paid to related matters, such as how residency restrictions may impact offenders' efforts to find stable work and living arrangements once they are released from prison, whether rates of recidivism have changed, and whether these policies increase the safety of potential victims.

Transcript
Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions
Audio file
1 of 4: Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions, Karen J. Bachar, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 4: Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions, Elizabeth Letourneau, Assistant Professor, Medical University of South Carolina , 3 of 4: Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions, Kristen M. Zgoba, Research Scientist, New Jersey Department of Corrections , 4 of 4: Sex Offenders in the Community: Post-Release, Registration, Notification and Residency Restrictions, Alisa Klein, Public Policy Consultant, Association for the Treatment of Sex Abusers

Are Juveniles Driving the Violent Crime Trend?

NCJ Number
251654
Date Published
April 1994
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Publication Type
Research (Applied/Empirical), Report (Technical Assistance), Report (Study/Research), Report (Grant Sponsored)
Text

Strengthening Our Nation's Crime Laboratories

NCJ Number
251606
Date Published
April 2018
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Publication Type
Report (Technical Assistance), Report (Grant Sponsored), Program/Project Description, Issue Overview, Instructional Material (Programmed), Grants and Funding
4:56 (Video)

Rotational Grid, PAI-Maximizing Crime Forecasts

NCJ Number
251203
Date Published
October 2017
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Publication Type
Research (Applied/Empirical), Report (Technical Assistance), Report (Study/Research), Report (Grant Sponsored), Program/Project Description
PDF | PDF

Analysis and Prediction of Call For Service Data

NCJ Number
251177
Date Published
October 2017
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Publication Type
Report (Technical), Report (Technical Assistance), Report (Grant Sponsored), Program/Project Description, Instructional Material
PDF