Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen made introductory remarks at the National Sheriff’s Association webinar concerning the U.S. Department of Justice’s response to COVID-19-related crime. A panel of representatives from across the U.S. Department of Justice was assembled to share the trends in COVID-related fraud, what trends they expect to emerge, and what they are doing to address it.  The department is prioritizing efforts to stop and punish criminal activity related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This video is one of the resources shared as part of the effort.

To report COVID-19 fraud and other crimes, please contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or disaster@leo.gov.

The American Society of Evidence-Based Policing hosts this no-cost webinar on body-worn cameras (BWCs). As BWCs have rapidly diffused across the United States and globally, the research base has struggled to keep pace. Nonetheless, the literature has exploded from 5 published studies in 2014 to well over 70 in 2019. Most of this research has focused on outcomes such as the use of force, citizen complaints, officer perceptions, and officer activity. The state of the literature, however, has grown complex, leading to a lack of consensus as to how the technology impacts these and other outcomes. This discussion of BWCs will work to make sense of the seemingly conflicting research on an increasingly popular—yet controversial—tool in policing.

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2020
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., ET

A new line of research from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) envisions mobile devices tapping into artificial intelligence to make inmate reentry more efficient and more likely to succeed for offenders, their supervisors, and communities. The new NIJ-sponsored study is a researcher-practitioner partnership between Purdue and Tippecanoe County, Indiana, with three main objectives: to develop an AI-based system to monitor and support offender reentry, deploy that system with Tippecanoe County Community Corrections, and analyze data received from the AI-based system to improve the system.

“During this time of restricted movement, changing infrastructure, and stretched resources, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is working hard to ensure that we continue to equip, strengthen, and protect communities. Although we are adapting the means by which we do our business, we remain committed to fulfilling our mission and to keeping our nation’s citizens safe.”—Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan

Tens of thousands of Americans with addiction continue to rely on the prevention, treatment, and recovery resources that our nation’s public safety and public health systems provide. Our nation’s leaders are working to provide information, guidance, and maximum flexibilities to communities to help provide critical, often lifesaving services to individuals with substance use disorders. This blog post from the Office of Justice Programs details resources from the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and more.  

The National Governors Association (NGA) and Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) released a road map to help support governors developing plans for a phased reopening of economic activities that protects the public’s health while laying a strong foundation for long-term economic recovery. Steps outlined in this report include protecting essential workers and vulnerable populations, developing a strong communication and public engagement effort, and more.