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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.

NIJ FY 12 Evaluating the Impact of the NIJ Body Armor Program

Closing Date
NIJ seeks proposals for funding to conduct an evaluation of the impact of NIJ's body armor research program on law enforcement policy and practice in the United States beginning with the program's inception in the early 1970s through today. This program involves the development of improved body armor. It also involves the development of standards to measure the performance of body armor and a testing...

NIJ FY 10 Sensor, Surveillance, and Biometric Technologies Center of Excellence

Closing Date
NIJ seeks proposals for the operation of a Sensor, Surveillance, and Biometric Technologies Center of Excellence. The Center, which will be a component of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center System, will conduct testing, evaluation, technology assistance programs, and other services related to sensors and biometrics technologies applied to criminal justice application.

NIJ FY 10 Weapons and Protective Systems Technology Center of Excellence

Closing Date
NIJ seeks proposals for the operation of the Weapons and Protective Systems Technology Center of Excellence, a component of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center System. The Center conducts testing, evaluation, technology assistance programs, and other services with regard to weapons and protective tools and technologies intended for use by law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies. Its focus will be less lethal...

NIJ FY 10 Technology Research and Development: Assured Communications for Law Enforcement Operations

Closing Date

NIJ seeks qualified applicants for funding to develop effective solutions to provide law enforcement agencies with the ability to continue to communicate effectively (via voice, video, data, or other means), at the data rates necessary to conduct law enforcement operation, in (1) the absence of an adequate operating communications infrastructure and/or (2) in the presence of multiple, overlapping communications infrastructures with varying attributes.

NIJ FY 10 Communications Technology Center of Excellence

Closing Date

NIJ seeks proposals for the operation of the Criminal Justice Communications Technology Center of Excellence, a component of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center System. The center conducts testing, evaluation, technology assistance programs, and other services with regard to communications tools and technologies intended for use by law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies.

NIJ FY 09 Advancing Criminal Justice Policy, Practice, and Technology

Closing Date

NIJ seeks applications for funding of specific innovative, high-payoff projects and activities fostering the adoption into practice of new, cutting-edge policy, practice, and/or technology related to: courts, crime and crime prevention, drugs and crime, forensic sciences, law enforcement, relevant technology and tools, and victims and victimization. 

NIJ FY 09 Biometrics Technologies: Invited Full Proposals

Closing Date

NIJ is seeking applications for funding the development and demonstration of a mobile, wireless device for law enforcement application capable of the simultaneous capture of four fingerprints in a manner compliant with the relevant sections of the draft "Mobile ID Device Best Practices Recommendations and Specifications (May 5, 2008)", to include data encryption. NIJ is especially interested in research and development proposals for technology to...

NIJ FY 09 Personal Protective Equipment: Invited Full Proposals

Closing Date
NIJ is seeking applications for funding to research, develop, and demonstrate technologies that will enhance the safety of law enforcement officers and other criminal justice practitioners. This solicitation seeks proposals that focus specifically on the development and demonstration of a Tactical Officers' Full-Face Respirator, An improved, ergonomic full-face respirator capable of serving (1) as an air purifying respirator (APR) employing an integral/detachable filter and (2)...