Just Science

In the final episode of our Community Relations season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Mike Planty, the Director of RTI’s Center for Community Safety, to discuss how emerging technologies in policing affect community relations. Evaluating community sentiments about their respective police departments is an important part of ensuring that community needs are being addressed. The Criminal Justice Testing and Evaluation Consortium (CJTEC), funded by the National Institute of Justice, is designed to employ evidence-based research methods to enhance the data collection capabilities of stakeholders in the legal system. Listen as Mike discusses how community surveys can contribute to improving police-community relations on this episode of Just Science. This episode is funded by RTI International’s Applied Justice Research Division.

In episode three of our Community Relations season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Nick Richardson, a research analyst in RTI’s Center for Community Safety, to discuss disparities in police responses to cases of interpersonal violence. Addressing racial, socioeconomic, and other inequities in arrests is critical to improving community relations with law enforcement. Researchers have unearthed gender disparities in arrest statistics in cases of interpersonal violence; however, there is little data on the role race and sexuality play in these cases. Listen along as Dr. Richardson, a sociologist by training, discusses his past research on community violence and safety as well as his study on arrest disparities in cases of interpersonal violence on this episode of Just Science. This episode is funded by RTI’s Applied Justice Research Division.

In episode two of our Community Relations season, Just Science sat down with Lieutenant Renae Lockhart and Azalea Garza-Orozco with the ACORNS Unit at the Raleigh Police Department, as well as Brian Aagaard, a research analyst at RTI's Applied Justice Research Division, to discuss alternative responses to traditional law enforcement. Instances of police brutality combined with an increased awareness of the importance of mental healthcare has spurred a robust discussion around what emergency calls demand traditional police responses. Some lawmakers and activists have called for social workers to respond to mental health and quality of life concerns, while others support a joint response between police officers and social workers. Even still, some remain skeptical that deploying social workers at all would be an effective strategy. Listen along as Renae, Azalea, and Brian discuss their backgrounds in community safety, their roles in Cohort of Cities and ACORNS, and their unique perspectives on evaluating alternative responses to emergency calls on this episode of Just Science. This episode is funded in part by RTI’s Applied Justice Research Division and Cohort of Cities, supported by Arnold Ventures.

In episode one of our Community Relations season, Just Science sat down with Monica Sheppard, a research analyst, and Dr. Yamanda Wright, a research psychologist in RTI’s Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE), to discuss reforming American pretrial policies.

Researchers have closely followed the racial and economic disparities that exist in American incarceration, particularly surrounding pretrial detention. Supported by Arnold Ventures, Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) seeks to improve pretrial outcomes by investing in research, technical assistance, and implementation across a range of partner sites nationwide. Listen as Monica and Yamanda discuss racial and socioeconomic disparities in the pretrial system and ways APPR is working to address them in this episode of Just Science. This episode is funded in part by RTI’s Applied Justice Research Division and Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research, supported by Arnold Ventures.

In the final episode of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Natasha Alexenko, Lieutenant Jordan Satinsky, and Marya Simmons to discuss at-home sexual assault kits through a victim-centered lens. Throughout this season, Just Science has spoken with various subject matter experts to discuss several perspectives posed by the use of at-home sexual assault evidence collection kits. As criminal justice practitioners and advocates Natasha, Jordan, and Marya have prioritized focusing on trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches to support survivors of sexual violence. Listen along as our guests discuss their work in sexual assault response, the complexities of evidence collection, and their thoughts on at-home sexual assault kits in this episode of Just Science. This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

In episode seven of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Patti Powers, an attorney advisor at AEquitas and a former senior deputy prosecuting attorney in Washington state, to discuss at-home sexual assault kits from a prosecutorial point of view. For many survivors of sexual violence, engaging in prosecution can be an important step in their healing process. As a former prosecutor and nationally recognized leader addressing sexual assault cases, Patti Powers has addressed sexual violence both in and out of the courtroom for more than 30 years. Listen along as she discusses the process of prosecuting sexual assault cases and the impact of at-home sexual assault kits on case resolutions in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

In episode six of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Jay Henry, the former Crime Laboratory Director of the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Mr. Henry, an experienced forensic scientist and former crime laboratory director, understands the complexities that surround the collection and testing of evidence, especially biological samples. Listen along as he discusses the critical role forensic laboratories have in the sexual assault kit testing process as well as his perspective on the considerations for testing at-home sexual assault kits in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

In episode five of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Scott Mourtgos, a PhD Candidate at the University of Utah, a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) LEADS Scholar, and the Deputy Chief of the Salt Lake City Police Department to provide a law enforcement perspective to our discussion on at-home sexual assault kits. Sexual assault cases are some of the most challenging cases to investigate. Forensic evidence associated with these cases plays a key role in resolving these cases and supporting victims of sexual assault. Listen along as Deputy Chief Mourtgos, a researcher and veteran police officer with experience investigating sexual assault cases, discuss at-home kits and other strategies to respond to sexual violence in this episode of Just Science. This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

In episode four of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Laurieann Thorpe, the Executive Director at Prevent Child Abuse Utah, to continue our discussion on at-home sexual assault kits. Prevent Child Abuse Utah is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. Listen along as Executive Director Thorpe discusses her career in child abuse prevention and response, and whether she believes at-home kits should play a role in addressing child sexual violence.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

In episode three of our Perspectives on At-Home Sexual Assault Kits season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Toni Laskey, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine and the division chief of the Center for Safe and Healthy Families at Primary Children’s Hospital.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys under the age of 18 will be a victim of child sexual abuse over their lifetimes (CDC, 2021). Listen along as Dr. Laskey discusses her work in child abuse pediatrics, her outlook on sexual assault response for victims under 18, and her perspective on at-home sexual assault kits in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.