Just Science

In episode two of our Domestic Radicalization season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Matthew DeMichele, Director of the Center for Criminal Legal Systems Research at RTI International, to discuss his research focused on former members of white supremacist groups. Domestic Violent Extremists use violence to further their social or political goals, and thereby pose a significant threat to the American public. To better understand these groups, Dr. DeMichele’s research examines the factors associated with individual vulnerability to radicalization. Listen along as Dr. DeMichele describes important research practices for working with former extremists, findings about how and why radicalization occurs, and the future of de-radicalizing individuals from extremist groups. This episode is funded by RTI International’s Justice Practice Area. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode one of our Domestic Radicalization season, Just Science sat down with Neal Parsons, Senior Research Scientist at RTI International, to discuss the growing threat of drone use and how the American criminal justice system is responding. Most people think of drones as a benign hobby or a tool to take aerial photos and videos, however, recent research reveals that drones are increasingly being used for malicious purposes. Drones are easily accessible to the masses and can be used to transport contraband, violate privacy, and even drop explosives. Listen along as Neal describes what exactly a drone is, the many ways that drones are being used to commit crimes, and evolving strategies for the detection, regulation, and mitigation of drone threats. This episode is funded by RTI International’s Justice Practice Area.

In episode four of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Catherine Grgicak, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University-Camden, and Stephanie Stoiloff, Chief of the Forensic Services Division at the Miami-Dade Police Department, to discuss their real-world experiences with introducing new forensic technology into practice. While new forensic research products are often innovative and interesting, they may not always be practical in operational forensic laboratories. Researchers should lean on practitioner input to develop technologies that fill a necessary gap, are unbiased, and offer benefits over existing technologies. Listen along as Dr. Grgicak and Stephanie describe lessons learned in their own experiences with technology transition, strategies for approaching product validation, and advice from both an academic and a practitioner perspective. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode three of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Catherine Grgicak, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University Camden, and Henry Maynard, Lead Research Scientist for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, to discuss the importance of developing research infrastructure within forensic laboratories and communication channels with collaborators. Forensic research and advancement are impossible without the input of forensic practitioners; however, many practitioners are not accustomed to engaging in formal academic research. As a result, the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group, or FLN-TWG, has identified important tools for building an infrastructure for research and collaboration within forensic laboratories. Listen along as Dr. Grgicak and Henry describe how research is ingrained in forensic practice, how to empower new forensic scientists to get excited about research, and resources to better integrate forensic researchers and practitioners. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode two of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Cleveland Miles, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Division of Forensic Science, and Henry Maynard, Lead Research Scientist for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, to discuss the importance of building partnerships in the forensic community to effectively communicate and advance forensic technology. Successfully transitioning forensic technology into practice requires a coordinated effort between many forensic stakeholders, including researchers, practitioners, and industry workers. While building these partnerships is crucial for technological advancement, there are often challenges to overcome when collaborating with individuals from different forensic domains. Listen along as Cleveland and Henry describe the gap in awareness about forming forensic partnerships, actionable strategies for enhancing relationships in the field, and how to navigate the different languages of the various forensic entities. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode one of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Lucas Zarwell, Director of the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at the National Institute of Justice, and Dr. Jeri Ropero-Miller, Principal Scientist and Director of the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence at RTI International, to discuss a newly published roadmap that guides the transition of forensic research and technology innovations into the forensic practitioner community. During the development of new forensic technologies, there are various challenges that result in products not actually being utilized in forensic laboratories. To help the community overcome these challenges, the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group, or FLN-TWG, introduced a roadmap report with action items to help seamlessly and successfully implement new forensic technologies into practice. Listen along as Director Zarwell and Dr. Ropero-Miller describe ways that forensic research products can become unsuccessful, the importance of collaboration between forensic researchers and practitioners, and the process of developing the FLN-TWG roadmap report. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode four of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Michael McKissic, founder of the Mikey23 Foundation, Reverend Rodrick Burton, St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition's Chairperson for Public Safety, and Dr. Stacy Sechrist, Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, to discuss the importance of building trust between law enforcement and community members and ultimately improving gun violence investigations. In many cities in the United States, there has been growing mistrust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, which can negatively impact violent crime investigations and public safety. In response, community organizations are working to bridge the gap between law enforcement and community members to form connections that are rooted in love and understanding. Listen along as Mike, Reverend Burton, and Dr. Sechrist describe recommendations for law enforcement to positively engage in their communities, how to navigate anti-snitching sentiments and fears of retaliation, and the importance of police reaching out to victims’ families after a homicide. This project is supported by Grant No. 15PBJA-21-GK-04008-JAGP awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode three of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Lamar Fyall, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Rob Lang, Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, and John Wilkinson, Attorney Advisor at AEquitas, to discuss how state, local, and federal prosecutors’ offices can collaborate with law enforcement to improve case outcomes. While some law enforcement officers may have a go-to contact in their state or local prosecutor’s office, more consistent collaboration and information-sharing practices can help bring violent crime offenders to justice. For example, many prosecutors work with law enforcement to better utilize the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network or NIBIN leads and other crime intelligence to supplement case evidence. Listen along as Lamar, Rob, and John describe their unique experiences building systems of communication between law enforcement and prosecutors, the evolving role of crime gun intelligence in building a case, and improving victim and witness case cooperation. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences. This project is supported by Grant No. 15PBJA-21-GK-04008-JAGP awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

In episode two of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Fabio Sanchez, Crime Gun Intelligence Sergeant at the City of Miami Police Department, Yaneisy Delgado, Intelligence Analyst at the Miami-Dade Police Department, and Kevin Armbruster, retired Lieutenant with the Milwaukee Police Department, to discuss how their agencies utilize ballistics evidence and cross-agency collaboration to improve gun violence investigations in the greater Miami area. When a fatal or non-fatal shooting occurs, investigators can submit ballistics evidence to the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, or NIBIN, which will generate potential associations with other firearm cases in the area. Law enforcement agencies in Miami, Florida have developed best practices for utilizing NIBIN and other information-sharing techniques to drastically reduce gun violence rates in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Listen along as Fabio, Yaneisy, and Kevin describe their agencies’ methods for quickly and effectively entering data into NIBIN, using social media and other analyses to track patterns in case evidence, and the importance of information sharing and collaboration for preventing gun violence. This project is supported by Grant No. 15PBJA-21-GK-04008-JAGP awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

In episode one of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Kevin Strom, Director of the Center for Policing Research and Investigative Science at RTI International, and John Skaggs, retired homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, to discuss the goals of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA’s) National Case Closed Project and strategic recommendations for law enforcement agencies to improve their violent crime case outcomes. Nationally, law enforcement agencies clear an average of about half of all gun violence cases, with nonfatal shooting cases cleared at an even lower rate. To help address these low clearance rates, the BJA’s National Case Closed Project conducts assessments of law enforcement agencies across the country, to provide recommendations for improving their approach to fatal and nonfatal shooting investigations. Listen along as Dr. Strom and Retired Detective Skaggs describe the need for a national initiative like the National Case Closed Project, what an agency assessment looks like, and the top recommendations to come out of the project so far.

This episode is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (Award No. 15PBJA-21-GK-04008-JAGP).