NCJ Number
200338
Date Published
January 2004
Length
43 pages
Annotation
This Annual Report presents the highlights and accomplishments of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for 2002.
Abstract
During 2002, NIJ developed seven agency-wide strategic goals in three main areas: creating knowledge and tools, disseminating information, and managing the agency’s programs. Additionally, NIJ identified 10 high-priority areas: law enforcement and policing; justice systems; corrections; investigative and forensic sciences; counterterrorism and critical incidents; crime prevention and causes of crime; violence and victimization; drugs, alcohol, and crime; interoperability, spatial information, and automated systems; and program evaluation. Following the explanation of the main goals and priority areas, highlights of 2002 are offered and include issues regarding responding to terrorism, violence against women and family violence, using science and technology to improve criminal justice, protecting communities, and helping knowledge travel faster and farther. NIJ terrorism-related activities during 2002 included research on how terrorist organizations fund themselves and NIJ-sponsored workshops designed to help local law enforcement prepare for, and respond to, terrorist attacks. Bomb detection and first responder equipment guidelines were also developed, and less-than-lethal weapons that would be safe aboard aircraft were tested. Accomplishments in the area of violence against women and family violence include research concerning the bridge between domestic violence and child maltreatment, research on the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and research on responding to campus sexual assault. In the area of using science and technology to improve criminal justice, NIJ sponsored research on detecting crack and other forms of smokable cocaine and assessed new technological instruments for law enforcement. In terms of working toward safer communities, NIJ-sponsored projects in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and St. Louis have shown promise in targeting and reducing youth gun violence. Other NIJ-sponsored research in 2002 looked at gangs and gang-related crime. Finally, NIJ has worked toward the swift dissemination of knowledge by redesigning its print and electronic products and by putting NIJ research on-line at the NCJRS Web site. Appendices include NIJ financial data, NIJ awards during 2002, NIJ publications and products for 2002, number of NIJ Web site visits by month, and key NIJ-sponsored conferences. Appendix