Just Science

In episode two of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Tim Fayle, Training Capability Lead for IDEMIA Australasia and Chair of the International Association for Identification’s Latent Print Certification Board, to discuss the utility of friction ridge detail inadvertently captured via photographs as a valuable and potentially underutilized type of evidence within a variety of case types. While the use of latent fingerprints recovered from crime scenes has been established as an important type of forensic evidence for decades, the increasingly widespread use of social media and other digital platforms has contributed to even more opportunities to garner friction ridge detail evidence following a crime. Practitioners and researchers alike have demonstrated the value of utilizing photographs presenting inadvertently captured finger and palm friction ridge detail – obtained via social media posts, other digital forums, and cellphone data – to identify perpetrators and help bring justice to victims. Listen along as Tim describes several cases where inadvertently photographed friction ridge detail was utilized to make an identification to a perpetrator, the various methods and techniques latent print examiners can add to their toolkit to analyze and compare this type of friction ridge detail, and his recommendations for ensuring this type of evidence is not overlooked or underutilized within future cases. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

In episode one of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Anthony (Tony) Earles, Forensics/Identification Unit Supervisor at the Maui Police Department, to discuss the Maui wildfires that occurred on August 8, 2023, including the collaborative nature of the mass disaster emergency response effort; the forensic methodologies and technologies used to identify recovered human remains; and the various challenges encountered during response mobilization due to the isolated geographic location of Maui County, Hawaii. When deadly wildfires impacted Maui County, available resources and existing infrastructure were put under strain. Despite these initial obstacles, through the collaborative response of over one-hundred individuals from federal agencies, external partners, state and local forensic science service providers, as well as members of the Lahaina community, Maui Police Department was able to expand its response capacity, recover unidentified human remains, and identify these remains using a variety of forensic identification techniques including Rapid DNA technology, and more. Listen along as Tony describes how Maui Police Department and the many forensic professionals and first responders involved were able to locate and identify unidentified human remains, the importance of collaboration and communication in mass disaster response, and lessons learned that may support mass disaster response preparedness planning efforts within the forensic community. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

In episode 3 of our economic empowerment season, Just Science down with Megan Lundstrom, the inaugural Director of the Polaris Project’s Resilience Fund, to discuss how flexible cash assistance can support people who have experienced human trafficking. Direct financial assistance, such as stipends or grants, play an important role in supporting economic empowerment for people who have experienced human trafficking. They can be used to seed a small business, participate in a job training program, or further one’s education. Listen as Lauren and Megan talk about the types of direct financial assistance available, and the benefits of these programs for people who have experienced human trafficking. This season is funded by the Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project. The views expressed in this podcast belong to the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In episode 2 of our economic empowerment season, Just Science sat down with Lenore Shaffer of Restore NYC, Tiffany McGee of Survivor Ventures and Laura Hackney of Annie Cannons experts in the anti-trafficking field to discuss their economic empowerment work. Economic empowerment programs include skill building, job training, and career development for people who have experienced human trafficking. These programs seek to overcome barriers many survivors experience in the workforce and set them on a path for long-term economic mobility. Listen along as Tiffany, Lenore, and Laura talk about their programs, common barriers survivors encounter, and practical solutions for supporting survivors’ economic empowerment journey. This season is funded by the Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project. The views expressed in this podcast belong to the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In episode 1 of our economic empowerment season, Just Science down with Carolyne Ouya, Program Manager at Futures Without Violence, to discuss core concepts in economic empowerment for human trafficking. For those who have experienced human trafficking, economic or financial consequences are often inextricably linked to their trafficking experience and may leave those people without the skills, resources, or social capital to meet their needs in the community. Listen along as Carolyne talk about the role that victim advocates or social service providers can play in supporting someone’s economic empowerment journey.

This season is funded by the Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project. The views expressed in this podcast belong to the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In this special release episode, Just Science sat down with Dr. Pattie Melton, Co-Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Forensics Training and Technical Assistance, or TTA, Program, and Paige Presler-Jur, Associate Project Director for State-based Awards TTA team on BJA’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use (COSSUP) Program and the COSSUP Post-arrest, Pretrial, Defense Counsel, and Courts TTA team, to discuss the importance of TTA – a component of many federal grant programs that helps grant recipients meet their goals and improve program outcomes. When an agency receives a federal grant, they may be faced with a myriad of challenges including setting scalable goals, tracking important program metrics, and planning for sustainability. As a result, training and technical assistance is built into many federal grant programs, so that experts from a separate organization can provide resources and support grant recipients throughout their period of performance. Listen along as Dr. Melton and Paige describe the strategies that TTA providers use when working with grant recipients, the importance of tailoring TTA to meet the unique needs of a community, and how TTA enhances the impact of important federally funded projects. This episode is funded by RTI International’s Justice Practice Area.

In the final episode of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Kristen Lee, Substance Use Program Coordinator at the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Lizann Roberts, Executive Director of the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition, and Tara Jennings, Strategic Planning Administrator for Chatham County Government, to discuss their COSSUP-funded Community Data Platform, which helps connect health and justice data for an individual, so that first responders can best meet their needs. For individuals who frequently cycle through jails, homeless shelters, and emergency departments, there is a need to increase access to community resources to break the cycle of justice involvement and reduce the burden on first responders. In Chatham County, Georgia, the Community Data Sharing Program provides real-time data across public health and safety services, helping first responders gain a holistic view of an individual’s justice involvement and refer clients to the appropriate community resources. Listen along as Kristen, Lizann, and Tara discuss why they decided to use data sharing as a tool to better serve clients with a substance use disorder, how they addressed barriers such as data sharing and privacy concerns, and how the program has not only impacted participating clients, but also local first responders and policy makers. This Just Science season is supported, in part, by RTI Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, and by RTI Award No. 15PBJA-23-GK-02250-COAP, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Both are agencies within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

In episode seven of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Cristi Cain, Local Public Health Section Director at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Sally Wright, the All Hands on DECK, or Drug Endangered Children Kansas, Program Manager for the Kansas Department of Health & Environment, to discuss their COSSUP-funded All Hands on DECK Program, which helps support drug endangered youth and families across the state of Kansas. In Kansas and across the country, many children and infants are living in an environment where a caretaker uses substances or where they are born exposed to substances. In response, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment supports eighteen local jurisdictions who are implementing a range of activities to support drug endangered youth, including providing family care bags, administering community and school-based drug awareness trainings, distributing naloxone, and more. Listen along as Sally and Cristi discuss some of the catalysts for creating a youth-focused program in their state, how each local site is identifying and addressing unique needs within their community, and some of the challenges and successes the DECK program has experienced so far.

This Just Science season is supported, in part, by RTI Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, and by RTI Award No. 15PBJA-23-GK-02250-COAP, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Both are agencies within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

In episode six of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Terry Kerns, Substance Abuse Law Enforcement Coordinator of the Nevada Office of the Attorney General, Dr. Katie Snider, owner of Justice Research LLC, and DJ Mills, Director of Mental Health and Deflection Programs at the Nye Communities Coalition, to discuss their COSSUP-funded MOST and FASTT programs, which help bridge the gaps between law enforcement and social services in rural Nevada. To address the needs of justice-involved individuals with a substance use disorder, there are several opportunities for intervention, including pre-arrest, at the time of a behavioral health crisis; and post-arrest, once an individual has already been incarcerated. In rural Nevada, the Office of the Attorney General has pioneered two types of outreach teams, which help support individuals at both points in their involvement with the criminal justice system. Listen along as Dr. Kerns, Dr. Snider, and DJ discuss how Mobile Outreach Safety Teams, or MOST, and Forensic Assessment Service Triage Teams, or FASTT, operate, the state and local impact of these programs, and how grantees have overcome implementation barriers. This Just Science season is supported, in part, by RTI Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, and by RTI Award No. 15PBJA-23-GK-02250-COAP, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Both are agencies within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

In episode five of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Nicole Swiderski, New Jersey Path to Recovery Grant Manager, and Jass Pelland, New Jersey Path to Recovery Program Manager, to discuss how the New Jersey State Parole Board’s 2021 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program award is supporting peer recovery and other services that help individuals with a substance use disorder navigate reentering the community after release from prison. Those who are reentering the community after being released from prison can face a myriad of challenges, including navigating community supervision requirements, finding housing and treatment services, and facing an increased risk of drug overdose. In response to these challenges, the New Jersey State Parole Board has created the Path to Recovery Program, where peer health navigators partner with parole officers to help guide participants through the difficult reentry process. Listen along as Dr. Swiderski and Jass discuss why they decided to implement a peer-led initiative in the state of New Jersey, what barriers they faced when planning and implementing the program, and how Path to Recovery has made a positive impact both in the lives of individuals and for their state a whole. This Just Science season is supported, in part, by RTI Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, and by RTI Award No. 15PBJA-23-GK-02250-COAP, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Both are agencies within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.