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Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG)

Supporting NIJ’s Mission to Improve Knowledge and Understanding The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International, formed the Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG). The FLN-TWG supports NIJ’s…
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The ROI from Reducing Turnaround Time for Processing DUI: Drug Cases

Date February 2021 Overview From the opioid crisis to legalization of marijuana to the continuing evolution in the abuse of drugs, the societal costs from substance abuse is extensive. This includes societal costs from treatment, healthcare, lost productivity, death, and…
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Leveraging Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to Maintain Continuity of Operations: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Date January 2021 Overview In response to 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic, forensic crime laboratories have changed their business operations to ensure responsiveness to their customers’ needs while protecting staff welfare and data security. This balance has challenged laboratory management to address…

Trauma and Coping Mechanisms Exhibited by Forensic Science Practitioners: A Literature Review

Publication Forensic Science International: Synergy, October 2020 Author Donia P. Slack | RTI International Abstract Vicarious trauma (VT) has been studied in mental health experts for over 30 years due to their engagement with victims of trauma and exposure to…
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Success Story: Advancing Mixture Interpretation Analysis with NOCIt

National Institute of Justice and Rutgers University Date September 2020 Overview DNA samples recovered from crime scenes often contain at least two contributors. Complex forensic DNA mixture interpretation can be challenging and requires computational advancements that support its use. Using…
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A Landscape Study of Laboratory Information Management Systems for Forensic Crime Laboratories

Date August 2020 Overview As a key stakeholder in the criminal justice system, forensic laboratories must track, analyze, and report on evidence related to each request for service they receive. This is no easy task for laboratories: according to a…

Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning Working Group for Criminal Justice Applications, First Meeting Report

Date July 2020 Overview On February 27 and 28 of 2020, The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International, convened the first meeting of the Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning (TLS)…
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The National Institute of Justice and the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence’s National Opioid and Emerging Drug Threats Policy and Practice Forum

Date July 2020 Overview The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted the National Opioid and Emerging Drug Threats Policy and Practice Forum on July 18–19, 2019, in Washington, DC. The forum explored ways…