The
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the
research, development and evaluation agency
of the United States Department of
Justice
. NIJ, along with the
Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA),
Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office for
Victims of Crime (OVC), and other program offices, comprise the
Office of Justice
Programs (OJP) branch of the Department of Justice.
History
| NIJ Directors (and
Acting Directors) |
| Name |
Dates |
| Ralph Siu |
1968-1969 |
| Henry Ruth |
1969-1970 |
| Irving Slott |
1970-1971 |
| Martin Danziger |
1971-1973 |
| Gerald Caplan |
1973-1977 |
| Blair Ewing |
1977-1979 |
| Harry Bratt |
1979-1981 |
| James Underwood |
1981-1982 |
| W. Robert Burkhart |
1982 |
| James K. Stewart |
1982-1990 |
| Charles B. DeWitt |
1990-1993 |
| Michael J. Russell |
1993-1994 |
| Carol V. Petrie |
1994 |
| Jeremy Travis |
1994-2000 |
| Sarah V. Hart |
2001–2005 |
| Glenn R. Schmitt |
2005-June 2007 |
| David Hagy |
June 2007-January 2009 |
| Kristina Rose |
January 2009-Present |
The National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice was
established in 1968, under the
Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as a component of the
Law
Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). In 1978, it was
renamed as the National Institute of Justice. Some functions of the
LEAA were absorbed by NIJ on December 27, 1979, with passage of the
Justice System
Improvement Act of 1979. The Act, which amended the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, also led to creation of
the
Bureau of Justice
Statistics. In 1982, the LEAA was succeeded by the Office of
Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics (1982–1984) and then
the
Office of Justice
Programs in 1984.
NIJ is notable among U.S. governmental research organizations
because it is headed by a
political
appointee of the President rather than by a
scientist or a member of the
civil service. NIJ is currently headed by
Kristina Rose, Acting Director, until a new director is appointed
and approved.
Research areas
NIJ is focused on advancing law enforcement and
corrections technology, as well as
criminology,
criminal justice, and related social
science research. Much of this research is facilitated by providing
grants to academic institutions, non-profit research organizations,
and other entities, as well as collaborating with state and local
governments. Areas of social science research include
violence against women,
corrections, and
crime prevention, as well as program
evaluation.
Grants for technology development help facilitate research and
development of law enforcement technology and tools, which is a
need that the private sector is otherwise reluctant to meet. NIJ
also supports development of product standards, as well as
complianceand testing processes. Areas of technology research and
development include
biometrics,
communications
interoperability,
information-led policing, less-lethal technologies (e.g.
tasers), and standards for police including
bullet-proof vests.
Crime mapping and analysis is a topic that
includes both technology and social science (
geography) aspects. The National Law Enforcement
and Corrections Technology Centers, which are located throughout
the United States, play a role in law enforcement technology
development, testing, and dissemination.
DNA initiative
A major area of research and support is for
forensics and the President's
DNA initiative.
The Federal Bureau
of Investigation
developed the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
system as a central database of DNA profiles taken from
offenders. In the late 1980s and 1990s, all of the states
and the
Federal
government required DNA samples to be collected from offenders
in certain types of cases. The demand (casework) for
DNA analysis in public
crime laboratories increased 73% from 1997
to 2000, and by 2003, there was a backlog of 350,000
rape and
homicide cases. In
2003, President
George W. Bush proposed the
Advancing Justice
Through DNA Technology initiative, which would include $1
billion over five years to reduce backlogs, develop and improve
capacity of state and local law enforcement to use DNA analysis,
support research and development to improve the technology, and
additional training for those working in the
criminal justice system.
See also
References
External links
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