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DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

NIJ Awards Over $14M to Support Forensic Science Research and Development

On December 17, 2022, NIJ, a component of the Office of Justice Programs, announced $14.4 million in funding to support 30 forensic science research and development projects in fiscal year 2021 under its Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes solicitation. Through its research and development (R&D) grant funding, NIJ continues to advance the speed, accuracy, and reliability of forensic analysis, which...

NIJ Funds Almost $17M in Forensic Science Research and Development

NIJ announced almost $17 million in funding to support 36 forensic science research and development projects in fiscal year 2020 under its Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes (Forensic Science R&D) program. Through its R&D grant funding, NIJ continues to advance the speed, accuracy, and reliability of forensic analysis, which ultimately bolsters the administration of justice.

“Since the 2009 NAS report...

Desistance From Crime: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice

November 2021

Most scholars would agree that desistance from crime – the process of ceasing engagement in criminal activities – is normative. However, there is variability in the literature regarding the definition and measurement of desistance, the signals of desistance, the age at which desistance begins, and the underlying mechanisms that lead to desistance. Even with considerable advances in the theoretical understanding of desistance from crime, there remain critical gaps between research and the application of that research to practice.