Published by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, this toolkit discusses the increasing demand for community responder programs.  For decades, Americans have called 9-1-1 when they are experiencing an emergency or are in need of assistance.  While this can be an effective and convenient way to deploy first responders—whether from police, fire, or emergency medical services—many community advocates have argued that it too often results in police officers being dispatched to resolve situations better handled by health and social service professionals.  Many communities, particularly ones with large Black, Indigenous, and people of color populations, lack properly funded organizations and crisis systems that can provide the care and services needed to reduce jurisdictions’ overreliance on police to handle behavioral health (i.e., mental health, substance use, and overdose response) crises and social disturbances.

Published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this article discusses evidence-based research as a proven pathway for addressing the gun violence crisis in the United States.  This article first selectively focuses on the results of more recent gun violence research managed by NIJ, the scientific research, development, and evaluation branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.  It then concisely reviews representative lessons gained from NIJ-supported firearms violence research begun in the 25 years from 1991 to 2016, highlighting scientific evaluations of the original Project Safe Neighborhoods and other program models found to be promising against gun violence.  It concludes by reflecting on the lessons to be broadly drawn from both micro-and macro-level studies of gun violence.  Micro-level research focuses on individual perpetrators and victims.  Macro-level studies, on the other hand, tend to point to the benefits of, and need for, high-level cross-collaborations that can drive policy and practice reforms and make a systemic impact on gun culture.

Published by the National Police Foundation and in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s VALOR Initiative, this website serves as a safety and wellness resource to frontline officers, supervisors, and law enforcement executives in the midst of policing mass demonstrations.  The website offers steps that can be taken by individuals and organizations to aid officers in preparing for and protecting colleagues and themselves before, during, and after civil unrest.  The goal of the website is to support officers’ physical and mental health, both at work and at home.  Developing and supporting organizational cultures that recognize and prioritize officer safety and wellness as an integral part of policing protests and the foundation of community policing is imperative to the VALOR Initiative. 

Hosted by the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Training and Technical Assistance Program and funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, this webinar is an interactive event featuring a presentation on multidisciplinary case review, a mock case review session, and a presentation/discussion on the use of advocacy during prosecution.

When:  Friday, December 17, 2021
Time:  1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., ET

Published by the Center for Victim Research and funded by the National Institute of Justice, this webinar discusses an overview of the current terrorist threat landscape, how it has changed in the last five to ten years, and strategies to best address this threat at the local and national levels.  Emphasis will be placed on how several key events in 2021 have shaped the way we think about research and policy in the fields of radicalization and extremism.  Panelists will provide data on fluctuations of the most imminent terrorist threats posed to the United States over the last ten years, why and how possible changes to the threat landscape have taken place, and ways in which the current terrorist threat should be combatted.

When:  Saturday, December 18, 2021
Time:  1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., ET