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DNA Information at Your Fingertips

Now online is www.DNA.gov, offering a wealth of information about funding, training, publications, and other resources related to the use of DNA technology in solving crimes, protecting the innocent, and identifying missing persons. Users can learn more about the President’s DNA Initiative, Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology, which seeks to enhance the role of DNA in the criminal justice system by reducing the current backlog of DNA samples, increasing crime lab capacity, and stimulating research and development.

Bullet-Resistant Vest Safety Initiative
Updated March 11, 2004

For more than 25 years, NIJ has worked with law enforcement to develop performance standards for and test new bullet-resistant body armor. On November 18, 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft directed NIJ to implement a new initiative "to address the reliability of body armor...and to examine the future of bullet-resistant technology and testing." (Read the complete press release.) He also directed NIJ to issue an interim status report on the initiative. A copy of the press release and March 11, 2004, status report to the Attorney General is located here.

As part of the new initiative, NIJ will develop a testing program for used armor and accelerate research into the effects of aging on the ballistic performance of body armor. (Read the complete statement.)

Learn more about body armor:

• Body Armor Safety Initiative
• BJA's Bulletproof Vest Partnership
• Body Armor Standards and Testing
• Media Contact

Conferences

Work, Stress, and Health 2006: Making a Difference in the Workplace NIJ joins the American Psychological Association and the National Institute for Occupational Safety in convening the sixth interdisciplinary conference on occupational stress and health to address the constantly changing nature of work and the implications of these changes for the health, safety, and well-being of workers, including police and corrections officers. Call for papers deadline: April 1, 2005 Proposal deadline for posters, papers, and symposia: May 1, 2005 For More Information: Work Stress and Health 2006: Making a Difference in the Workplace - Call for Papers

NCJRS Conference Calendar online Visit the NCJRS Calendar of Events for a searchable online listing of upcoming criminal justice-related events.

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Publications

Department of Defense Nonlethal Weapons and Equipment Review: A Research Guide for Civil Law Enforcement and Corrections October 2004
	This NIJ Special Report (NCJ 205293) provides a detailed equipment review designed to give civil law enforcement organizations a greater understanding of DoD's nonlethal weapons program and currently used nonlethal technologies. Five categories of nonlethal technologies are reviewed: chemicals, electrical devices, blunt impact munitions, directed energy, and miscellaneous or hybrid systems. Appendix A discusses the selection process and includes descriptions of DoD's Joint Nonlethal Weapons Program and similar weapons programs in branches of the military, Special Operations Command, and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as civil law enforcement agencies' less-lethal weapons. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
Duress Systems in Corrections Facilities September 2004
	A duress system helps corrections facilities respond quickly and effectively to assaults on staff and other emergencies. Find out how to identify, select, and deploy the system that best suits your facility's needs. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
When Violence Hits Home: How Economics and Neighborhood Play a Role September 2004
	Does intimate partner violence occur more in disadvantaged neighborhoods? For women, having financial problems in their intimate relationships and living in an economically distressed neighborhood combine to create greater risk of injury and violence. This NIJ Research in Brief (NCJ 205004) discusses who is most at risk and details the role that economic policies and employment practices might play in reducing the risk of intimate violence. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
NIJ Research Review, Volume 5, Issue 2 September 2004
	The NIJ Research Review is prepared quarterly by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. It contains short summaries of significant research findings from recently funded reports and lists titles of other recently completed projects. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File HTML File
Voice Translators for Law Enforcement September 2004
	Law Enforcement officers who are likely to encounter non-English-speaking individuals in the line of duty can benefit from the Voice Response Translator (VRT), and an electronic device that provides translations of basic commands in several languages. The VRT is a compact, easy-to-use, and battery-operated unit with fast response time and hands-free capability. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
Test Results for Software Write Block Tools: RCMP HDL V0.4, V0.5 and V0.7 August 2004
	These NIJ Special Reports present the results from testing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Hard-Disk Write Lock V0.4, V0.5, and V0.7 against Software Write Block Tool Specification & Test Plan, Version 3.0. They document results against 21 test assertions (both mandatory and optional), describes the testing environment, provides an interpretation of the test results, and includes test results summary log files for 40 test cases. The results provide the information necessary for developers to improve tools, users to make informed choices, and the legal community and others to understand the tools' capabilities. For results of RCMP HDL V0.8 and additional computer forensic tool test results, visit NIJ's Computer Forensic Tool Testing Project on the Web. Full text: Adobe Acrobat files: V0.4, V0.5, and V0.7
Characteristics of Chinese Human Smugglers August 2004
	This NIJ Research in Brief presents findings of a study that uncovered the inner workings of Chinese human smuggling organizations by going right to the source-smugglers themselves. Researchers found that most human smugglers are ordinary citizens whose social networks provide the necessary connections and resources to profit from human trade. Enforcement efforts need to consider the unique organization of smuggling enterprises and how smugglers are perceived by themselves and their clients. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
Hiring and Keeping Police Officers July 2004
	This NIJ Research for Practice presents findings of a study that examined the recent experiences of police agencies nationwide in hiring and retaining sworn officers. Researchers found that while most agencies grew in the 1990s as a result of Federal funding and demands for service, 20 percent declined in size, most often because of fiscal or recruitment problems. Other findings include that agencies with Federal hiring funds kept the positions after the grants expired; 9 out of 10 recruits completed their training, although training is taking longer because of the growing complexity of police work; and many officers left their agencies after only a few years, often to work for another law enforcement agency. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
A Resource for Evaluating Child Advocacy Centers July 2004
	This report gives Child Advocacy Center administrators the knowledge and materials they need to conduct either one-time or ongoing evaluations. It discusses three types of evaluations: program monitoring, outcome, and impact evaluations. The evaluations focus on achieving the standards established by the National Children's Alliance: child-friendly facility, multidisciplinary team, child investigative interview, medical examination, mental health services, victim advocacy, and case review. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File HTML File
Vanguard Robot Assessment July 2004
	The law enforcement community needs a low-cost robot that can reduce or eliminate the time of danger for a bomb technician who must inspect, x-ray, and disrupt an explosive device. This document discusses the Vanguard robot performance compared to other bomb-disposal robots. The Vanguard has a large percentage of the features required by law enforcement. Criteria for evaluation include cost and operating range. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File HTML File
Gambling and Crime Among Arrestees: Exploring the Link July 2004
	How is gambling related to crime? This NIJ Research for Practice explores gambling among arrestees in two U.S. cities-Las Vegas and Des Moines-and finds significantly more problem gambling among arrestees than in the general population. It also examines whether compulsive or pathological gamblers fit any particular profile, what percentage are arrested for felony and misdemeanor offenses, and how they differ from less serious gamblers. Consider this. Many compulsive or pathological gamblers got their start only after getting involved with drugs and alcohol or criminal activities. Criminals are at greater risk for developing pathological gambling habits but less likely to receive treatment, even though gambling is a prime motivation for many of their crimes. The authors suggest that jurisdictions must better prepare for the ill effects of problem gambling by, for example, developing screening and treatment programs in detention centers and jails to identify potential problem gamblers. Full text: Adobe Acrobat File
NIJ Journal 251 July 2004
	Rural gangs and urban gangs differ in many respects. In this issue of the NIJ Journal, researchers suggest that policies and practices related to urban gangs may not apply to rural ones. Other articles discuss ways to ensure successful collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the Campbell Collaboration’s review of criminal justice research, and NIJ's Data Resources Program. The "At-A-Glance" section summarizes recent research on child custody mediation and domestic violence, effects of child abuse, hung juries, problem-oriented policing in public housing, and frugal evaluations of programs. Full text of the NIJ Journal: HTML File

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