Justice Today – Détails, épisodes et analyse

The prison system in the U.S. typically places a heavy emphasis on security, control, and punishment, and this foundation can create an adversarial culture within correctional facilities — incarcerated individuals versus correctional staff. But what if that culture could change? What would it look like? How would it impact not only incarcerated individuals but also correctional officers and other staff?

Restoring Promise, a program operated by the Vera Institute of Justice and the MILPA Collective, redesigns life in American prison units by promoting a culture of individual dignity, healing, character, leadership, and restorative justice. Using lessons learned from prisons in other countries, Restoring Promise charts a new and hopeful course for the future of corrections in the United States, with encouraging results from a recent NIJ-funded evaluation.  

NIJ host Josh Mondoro talks with Kyleigh Clark-Moorman of NIJ, Selma Djokovic of the Vera Institute of Justice, and Josh Somers of the MILPA Collective about the Restoring Promise program and its impact. Read the transcript.

Reading and Resources from NIJ

• Transforming Correctional Culture and Climate | Article
• Restoring Promise | Article
•  Changing Prison Culture Reduces Violence | Report
• Restoring Promise: A Randomized Control Trial Examining the Impact of an Innovative Young Adult Housing on Reducing Violence | Report

Other resources

• Restoring Promise | Website
• Vera Institute of Justice | Website
• MILPA Collective | Website 

The nations prisons and jails are struggling to recruit and retain staff. These staffing challenges impact re-entry efforts and overall public safety.

In this episode of Justice Today, hear from former Bureau of Justice Assistance fellow Dr. Danielle Rudes on how leaders can make correctional institutions better for staff and residents.

Also read the corresponding blog post.

In April 2018, the Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo was arrested. NIJ support helped lead to his arrest, and in the aftermath of the arrest, NIJ Social Science Analyst Eric Martin was among those tasked with finding other cases NIJ helped law enforcement solve. Eric joins the show to talk about some of those cases, and answer some broader questions about serial killers: What is a serial killer? Are they on the rise? How do we know how many serial killers are currently active?

Mark Greene, the Director of the Office of Technology and Standards at NIJ, and Lucas Zarwell, the Director of NIJ’s Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences, co-host this conversation about serial killers. Read the transcript.

Reading and Resources from NIJ

• Serial Killer Connections Through Cold Cases | Article
• Using Forensic Intelligence To Combat Serial and Organized Violent Crimes | Article
• NamUs database

Other Resources

• Serial Killer Connects Through Cold Cases | Academy of Forensic Nursing podcast
• Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
• Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA | BJA program

The road to recovery from substance use has many twists and turns, and often stops and restarts. In Navajo County, Arizona, county prosecutor Bradley Carlyon is working to help residents on the road to recovery from the moment they enter the county jail.

Incarcerated individuals deserve opportunities for healing and growth, but they often lack the necessary resources for such opportunities. Additionally, organizational cultures that don’t support these outcomes often stand in the way. Researchers and practitioners gathered at NIJ’s 2023 National Research Conference to share ideas and projects that will increase opportunities for incarcerated populations around the country. This show continues their conversation. 

Angel Sanchez, a visiting fellow with the Bureau of Justice Assistance at the Department of Justice, hosts this discussion with three guests: Dr. Stephen J. Tripodi, an associate professor at Florida State University’s College of Social Work and a faculty director at the Institute for Justice Research and Development; Dr. Dan O’Connell, a criminologist at the Center for Drug and Health Studies at the University of Delaware; and Marina Duane, a research fellow at Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago.

Reading and Resources from NIJ

• Five Things About Reentry | Article
• Emerging Relevance of Neuroscience in Corrections | Article
• A New View of Jails: Exploring Complexity in Jails-Based Research | NIJ Journal

Other Resources

• Jail-based Medication-assisted Treatment Promising Practices, Guidelines, and Resources for the Field

A large body of research on crime and justice is available, yet it can take years for findings to influence practice in the field. During a recent panel at NIJ’s 2023 National Research Conference, researchers and practitioners shared ideas and discussed practical steps and promising new approaches to inspire change. Three guests join the show to continue their conversation: Dr. Tamara Herold, a senior advisor to the NIJ director, Dr. Nancy La Vigne, hosts Dr. Shon Barnes, the police chief of the Madison (Wisconsin) Police Department, and Dr. Kim DuMont, an expert in evidence-based policymaking and senior vice president of program at the William T. Grant Foundation. Listen to the transcript.

Reading and Resources from NIJ

• NIJ National Research Conference 2023
• NIJ's Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholars Programs

Other Resources

• Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University

The long-standing problem of estimating the age and sex of subadult skeletal remains has been significantly "solved" with the advances in understanding the growth and development patterns in the skeletons of young people. This is the second half of the conversation with Kyra Stull, an anthropologist and forensic researcher at University of Nevada, Reno, Danielle McLeod-Henning, a physical scientist at NIJ, host Jim Dawson. Read the transcript.

Listen to part one.

Reading and Resources from NIJ:

• Meeting the Forensic Challenges of Subadult Skeletons
• Investigation of subadult dental age-at-death estimation using transition analysis and machine learning methods
• A Radiographic Database for Estimating Biological Parameters in Modern Subadults

Other Resources:

• Subadult Virtual Anthropology Database from the University of Nevada, Reno

The long-standing problem of estimating the age and sex of subadult skeletal remains has been significantly "solved" with the advances in understanding the growth and development patterns in the skeletons of young people. Kyra Stull, an anthropologist and forensic researcher at University of Nevada, Reno, and Danielle McLeod-Henning, a physical scientist at NIJ, share more about this research with NIJ writer and host Jim Dawson.

Reading and Resources from NIJ:

• Meeting the Forensic Challenges of Subadult Skeletons
• Investigation of subadult dental age-at-death estimation using transition analysis and machine learning methods
• A Radiographic Database for Estimating Biological Parameters in Modern Subadults

Other Resources:

• Subadult Virtual Anthropology Database from the University of Nevada, Reno

Research shows that women officers use less force and are perceived by communities as more honest and compassionate. Yet currently, women make up only 12 percent of sworn officers and 3 percent of police leadership in the United States. In this episode of Justice Today, Maureen McGough, chief of strategic initiatives for the Policing Project at the New York University School of Law, discusses how the 30X30 Initiative, which is sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, is improving public safety by helping local law enforcement agencies recruit and retain more women.

Three LEADS Scholars serving in different law enforcement agencies and positions discuss their experiences with identifying and implementing evidence-based interventions to reduce gun violence. NIJ Senior Advisor Dr. Tamara Herold hosts this conversation with guests Police Chief Cecilia Ashe (Milford Delaware Police Department), Chief of Staff Lieutenant Matthew Barter (Manchester, NH Police Department), and Analytical Services Manager Mr. Jason Schiess (Durham, NC Police Department). 

LEADS, which stands for Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science, is designed to increase the research capabilities of law enforcement professionals and agencies. Since 2014, yearly cohorts of selected policing professionals are provided access to programming that connects current and emerging police leaders with evidence-based research to advance justice. Learn about more about these LEADS scholars, their challenges and triumphs, and how they embraced science to tackle gun crime in their jurisdictions. Read the transcript.

Listen to part one of this episode.  

Reading and Resources from the National Institute of Justice  

• NIJ’ Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholars Programs  
• Meet the LEADS Scholarship Recipients  
• CrimeSolutions: Rated programs and practices related to gun violence  

Other Reading and Resources  

• Operation Bullseye  
• Project Connect  
• National Network for Safe Communities