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April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and I want to take this opportunity to reflect upon all the strides we have made to sexual assault response practice as a country, and how the lessons learned, investments, and technological advances have made it possible for the apprehension of more criminals, and for victims of sexual assault to find closure.
While it is important to celebrate victories...
American law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep their communities safe, and sometimes they pay the ultimate price. Every year, officers are killed in the line of duty. 2017 saw a decrease of more than 10 percent in line-of-duty deaths, from 143 in 2016 to 128 last year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Although the year-to-year...
It’s a rare event to have so many influential parts of the government convened in one room, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to address you today.
My name is David Muhlhausen and I am the director of the National Institute of Justice, which is the research, development, and evaluation arm of the Department of Justice.
I’ve also been recently appointed by the Attorney...
Interview with Christopher Krebs, RTI International
Research-based information that can help inform policy decisions and improve understanding of the criminal justice system.
Research-based information that can help inform policy decisions and improve understanding of the criminal justice system.
Funded in part by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Pew Center on the States, the justice reinvestment project is a data-driven strategy aimed at policymakers to "reduce spending on corrections, increase public safety and improve conditions in the neighborhoods to which most people released from prison return." Representatives from two states where the justice reinvestment strategy is currently being implemented will discuss how it is being used to reduce the rate of incarceration and how states can reinvest in local communities.
Panelists will summarize the progress and results of sexual violence research since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. The panel will also examine how research has contributed to policy, assess current knowledge gaps and discuss research needs.
Violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives is more common than violence against others — far more common than previous research has indicated. One of NIJ’s core missions is understanding and preventing violence using scientific methods that help policymakers and practitioners understand the full nature and extent of the problem. I am very proud of a study...
This symposium presents a truly unique opportunity for you to participate in an unprecedented event on an important issue facing our nation: sexual assault.
I am pleased to announce that on September 8-9, 2016, through our longstanding commitment to improving sexual assault response, NIJ is hosting Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium, and I invite all to attend. This event will bring together...
While NIJ is proud of the progress we have made, we know there is still a great deal more to be done to improve sexual assault investigations, provide trauma-informed support to victims, and strengthen the efficiency of sexual assault kit testing.
–Nancy Rodriguez
Sexual assault is a traumatic crime with a wide range of impacts on both the victim and public safety. Over the last...
This protocol strengthens our nation’s response to child sexual abuse and promotes the healing and well-being of these victims.
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is pleased to support the release of the National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations, Pediatric (pdf, 233 pages) (Pediatric SAFE Protocol) by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The empirical research on the abuse...
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...
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.
Sex-related offenses are any crimes that have a sexual component. They may involve actual or threatened physical harm (e.g., sexual assault) or mental or emotional harm to a victim (e.g., child pornography).
NIJ supports projects that strive to understand and reduce the occurrence and impact of sex-related offenses. This includes describing the scope of these crimes, such as how and when they occur and their...
