National Institute of Justice
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is a federal research agency established to investigate various aspects of criminal justice. Founded in response to recommendations from President Lyndon B. Johnson's 1967 Committee on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, the NIJ was created as part of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. It serves as a significant national and international center for criminal justice research and policy experimentation, with the goal of enhancing law enforcement professionalism and developing more effective crime control strategies.
The NIJ's responsibilities include revising existing criminal justice policies, creating new crime-control programs, and sponsoring experimental training initiatives. Additionally, it assesses law enforcement standards and performance while collecting and disseminating relevant data to inform policy decisions. Over the years, the NIJ has focused on critical issues such as violent crime, career criminals, sentencing practices, rehabilitation, and community crime prevention. Through its efforts, the NIJ plays a vital role in shaping the landscape of criminal justice in the United States.
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National Institute of Justice
IDENTIFICATION: Federal research agency charged with investigating certain criminological program areas
SIGNIFICANCE: Since its founding, the National Institute of Justice has been a major national and international center for criminal justice research, policy experimentation aimed at professionalizing law enforcement, and more effective ways of controlling crime.
Following recommendations from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1967 Committee on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, Congress enacted the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The law created, within the Department of Justice, the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA), which in turn established the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
The NIJ has multiple research responsibilities aimed at revising extant criminal justice policies and practices, producing new crime-control programs, encouraging the professionalization of law enforcement, sponsoring experimental training programs, and assessing law enforcement and criminal justice standards and performance. It also collects and disseminates relevant data and information. During its first decades of operations, the NIJ provided important resources for the study of violent crime in the United States, career criminals, sentencing, rehabilitation, the use of police resources, community crime prevention, and pretrial processes.
Bibliography
Adams, K., et al. Use of Force by Police: Overview of National and Local Data. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1999.
"EPIC Calls on the National Institute of Justice to Center Harm Prevention and Agency Oversight in Forthcoming Criminal Justice AI Report." Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), 28 May 2024, https://epic.org/in-new-comment-epic-calls-on-the-national-institute-of-justice-to-center-harm-prevention-and-agency-oversight-in-forthcoming-criminal-justice-ai-report/. Accessed 8 July 2024.
Brady, T. V. Measuring What Matters, Part One: Measures of Crime, Fear, and Disorder. Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 1996.
National Institute of Justice. Evaluation Plan. Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 1991.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. National Institute of Justice Journal. Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 1992.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. National Institute of Justice/NCJRS: Meeting Your Needs for Criminal Justice Information. Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 1984.