National Institute of Justice
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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, comprises the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) branch of the Department of Justice.
NIJ is focused on advancing law enforcement and corrections technology, as well as criminology, criminal justice, and related social science research.
Research areas include:
- Biometrics
- Communications interoperability
- Crime mapping and analysis
- Crime prevention
- Corrections
- Forensics and DNA initiative
- Information-led policing
- Less-lethal technologies (e.g. tasers)
- Program evaluation
- Standards for police bullet-proof vests
- Violence against women
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.
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.
