Justice Counts is a national campaign and coalition pushing for actionable data to bolster public safety. With 21 partners representing officials at every corner of our nation's state, county, and municipal justice systems, Justice Counts is led by the CSG Justice Center and backed by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance. On August 18, 2021, the Justice Counts initiative unveiled a 50-state scan of publicly available, aggregate-level corrections and jails data. Each state’s data dashboard provides a central, practical resource for stakeholders to identify gaps and inconsistencies in data reporting across all 50 states. The national dashboard demonstrates that while policymakers in several states have access to up-to-date information, data collection still has a long way to go. 

Published by the National Institute of Justice, this webinar will discuss data availability as the cornerstone of progression for any scientific inquiry. For forensic anthropologists, the data sources are limited, since they must be contextually appropriate (temporal, geographical, etc.) for study and application in forensic research on human variation. In this webinar, the presenters will highlight the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA), a virtual repository of forensic anthropology case reports and accompanying data on the actual biological profile of a deceased individual. This webinar will cover the goals, motivations, and ethical considerations behind the development of the database as well as the uses and limitations of the data available for research applications. Whether attendees are looking for a dynamic data set for teaching purposes, starting on their first research project, or building on broad-reaching questions, knowing what data is available and how to maximize the data’s analytical potential is a must.

When: Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., ET

Hosted by the Justice Clearinghouse and funded by the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing, this webinar will discuss the stress experienced by those in first-responder and frontline occupations such as law enforcement, corrections, and the fire service and how such stress can lead to high rates of burnout that far surpass rates in the general population. In the wake of recent events such as COVID-19, civil unrest, and police defunding, these issues have added another layer of adversity experienced by first responders. Burnout is the mental or physical collapse caused by stress, overwork, or doing work that no longer feels connected to your life’s purpose. Over time, it causes you to run out of energy and leads to extreme exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy. It can be debilitating mentally and emotionally and can spill over into the rest of your life, as well as affect your physical health. Resilience is a protective factor that helps people bounce back from adversity more quickly and with fewer negative side effects. Research has shown resilience to be a teachable mindset and skill set that few people are taught, but everyone needs, especially when dealing with times of change. It can unlock success in long-term, massively challenging endeavors.  

When: Thursday, September 2, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., ET

Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and hosted by the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), this webinar will examine the difference between direct and circumstantial evidence, as well as research and practice in interviewing witnesses and eliciting accurate and probative information at trial. The webinar’s objectives are to: 

• Identify the probative value of direct and circumstantial evidence derived from witness statements.
• Conduct interviews that give a witness the opportunity to provide accurate information and allow investigators and prosecutors to assess the viability of the witness’s memory in connection with other evidence.
• Effectively present testimonial evidence at trial by establishing a foundation for a witness’s memories and the impact of an event in the context of other supporting evidence.

When: Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., ET

Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and hosted by the National Suicide Awareness for Law Enforcement Officer (SAFLEO) Program, this four-hour training will develop innovative strategies that promote health and wellness, discover ways to interrupt unhealthy behaviors and overcome the stigma of help-seeking; discuss how you can provide support to fellow officers; and develop a personal action plan including resources you can access to continue your health and wellness journey.

When: Thursday, September 2, 2021
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., ET