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Dr. John H. Laub, Director
One of my priorities this past year has been to strengthen the science mission of NIJ. We have manifested this in several ways:
Recent events across the country have made calls for criminal justice reform commonplace, and law enforcement in particular has been called upon to increase standards of performance and advance the field as a profession. At the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), we are committed to supporting law enforcement in their efforts to advance policing, and we strongly believe that science can play a pivotal role...
As colleges and universities across the country begin a new academic year, I want to discuss one of my high-priority goals — supporting the research activities of new and emerging scholars. These creative thinkers from a variety of disciplines are proposing innovative ideas to study and solve criminal justice problems. I am proud to offer my support in the form of fellowships and research assistantships...
Over the past few years, high-profile events have demonstrated the complexity and dangerous nature of corrections, and highlighted the difficulty of crafting comprehensive policy solutions. There are many factors at play that are outside of the control of the corrections system: who is sent to a facility, how long they stay, why they...
I started my tenure at NIJ with a commitment to getting out into the field to ensure NIJ stays connected. And I restate that commitment here.
From my very first day as the Director of the National Institute of Justice, I have made elevating the role of the practitioner a priority in everything we do. Our research must be connected to and serve the needs...
Frequent readers of the Director’s Corner are well aware of my commitment to strengthening NIJ’s scientific endeavors while also strengthening the science that supports the criminal justice system. By advancing multidisciplinary research, connecting researchers and practitioners, and encouraging diversity in our investments, NIJ will be better able to inform our nation’s police officers, judges, lawyers, corrections officers, and policymakers of...
For most of my academic life, I have had an interest in corrections issues, especially the impact of incarceration on families and communities. When I arrived at NIJ, I was excited to be part of a national effort to reform sentencing and incarceration policies, including the use of solitary confinement.
As the nation examines administrative segregation, NIJ’s role will be to do what we do...
A strong, active science staff is the foundation of a federal science agency, and the Institute is home to a well-trained, multidisciplinary science staff with experience and advanced training in numerous fields relevant to issues of safety and justice. Such expertise is essential in guiding the Institute’s research portfolios; developing new programs of research that capture the lessons learned from previous research; laying out a...
Through the Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Initiative, the National Institute of Justice supports law enforcement using data and research to inform effective policies and practices.
Police-led research has never been more important. Increasingly, law enforcement agencies are expected to implement evidence-based practices to improve policing in a safe and just manner. As budget constraints force departments to invest wisely in courses of...
