U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE 

Courts 

Strategic Research Plan 

2020-2024

April 2020 

Version 1.0 

NCJ 254684 
U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

810 Seventh St. N.W. 

Washington, DC 20531 

David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D. 

Director, National Institute of Justice 

This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found at: 

National Institute of Justice 

Strengthen Science • Advance Justice 

NIJ.ojp.gov 

Office of Justice Programs 

Building Solutions • Supporting Communities • Advancing Justice 

OJP.gov 

The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ’s 

mission is to advance scientific research, development, and evaluation to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. 

The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice 

Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. 

Photo Sources: ©Stacey Newman/Shutterstock, Inc., ©Corbis, ©Stockbyte/Thinkstock, LLC. 
National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Table of Contents 

Message From the Director...................................................................................................................................... iii 

Introduction................................................................................................................................................................. 1 

About the National Institute of Justice ................................................................................................................ 1 

Courts Research Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 1 

Strategic Research Plan Purpose......................................................................................................................... 1 

Background ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 

Scope and Defnitions............................................................................................................................................ 2 

Research Partners and Shared Goals.................................................................................................................. 3 

Courts Strategic Research Plan: Priorities and Objectives ................................................................................... 4 

Strategic Priority I: 

Promote and Support Research To Develop the 

Courts Workforce and Enhance Court Workgroups ............................................................................................... 5 

Objective I.A: Research strategies to develop the courts workforce .................................................................. 5 

Objective I.B: Research training and education to enhance court workgroup functions .................................... 6 

Strategic Priority II: 

Promote and Support Research To Advance Court Practice................................................................................. 7 

Objective II.A: Research strategies to advance court operations ....................................................................... 7 

Objective II.B: Research strategies to advance case management .................................................................... 8 

Objective II.C: Research strategies to advance case outcomes......................................................................... 9 

Objective II.D: Research strategies to advance court policies and procedures.................................................. 9 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 i 
 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Strategic Priority III: 

Promote and Support Research on the Fair and Impartial Administration of Justice....................................... 10 

Objective III.A: Research the dynamics of community and 

criminal justice stakeholders and their infuence on the court .......................................................................... 10 

Objective III.B: Research the impact of court strategies on the 

administration of justice and public safety ........................................................................................................ 11 

Strategic Priority IV: 

Promote Data and Research Capacity Building.................................................................................................... 12 

Objective IV.A: Research strategies to enhance 

the capacity of courts and related agencies to collect and analyze data ......................................................... 12 

Objective IV.B: Research and support the use of 

evidence-based practices by courts and related agencies............................................................................... 13 

Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................................................... 14 

Reference Documents ............................................................................................................................................. 15 

Courts Strategic Research Plan Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 • 2020-2024 iiii 
Message From the Director 

The role of courts is crucial to the fair administration of justice. The 

research agenda outlined in the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) 

Courts Strategic Research Plan is intended to improve our knowledge 

and understanding of the role of courts in upholding justice. 

NIJ’s Courts Strategic Research Plan is part of a series of plans 

developed to support our overarching research goals on crime and 

justice topics, and the following guiding principles: 

• Research can make a difference in individual lives, in the 

safety of communities, and in creating a more effective and fair 

justice system. 

• Government-funded research must adhere to processes of fair and 

open competition guided by rigorous peer review. 

• NIJ’s research agenda must respond to the real-world needs of 

victims, communities, and criminal justice professionals. 

• NIJ must encourage and support innovative and rigorous research methods that can provide answers to 

basic research questions as well as practical, applied solutions to crime. 

• Partnerships with other agencies and organizations, public and private, are essential to NIJ’s success. 

The plans purposefully outline NIJ’s current research agenda in broad and ambitious terms. We encourage 

researchers and practitioners to develop innovative projects that address timely concerns relevant to court 

workgroups and stakeholders. Applicants may be supported by competitively awarded cooperative agreements 

initiated by NIJ, investigator-initiated grants under recurring solicitations such as Research and Evaluation on the 

Administration of Justice and the Graduate Research Fellowship Program, or other funding mechanisms (e.g., 

contracts, interagency agreements, and NIJ Challenges). 

Thank you for your contributions to the Nation’s public safety and the fair and impartial administration of justice. 

David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D. 

Director, National Institute of Justice 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 iii 
Introduction 

About the National Institute of Justice 

As the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the National 

Institute of Justice (NIJ) is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues 

through science. NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to inform the decision-making of the 

criminal justice community to reduce crime and advance justice, particularly in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. 

Courts Research Mission 

NIJ sponsors research, development, and evaluation to identify court tools, programs, and policies that satisfy 

criminal justice goals, including public safety, cost-effciency, and fair and equitable treatment of victims and 

defendants. Together with NIJ’s Policing and Corrections Research Portfolios, the Courts Research Portfolio 

furthers DOJ’s mission to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior and to ensure the fair and 

impartial administration of justice for all. Furthermore, it aligns with DOJ’s priorities of supporting prosecutors and 

others in their efforts to reduce violent and other crime, and combating opioid and other drug abuse. 

Strategic Research Plan Purpose 

NIJ developed the Courts Strategic Research Plan to communicate NIJ’s research agenda and advance its 

courts research mission. The strategic priorities and objectives outlined in the plan are interrelated and vital to the 

examination of opportunities and challenges faced by court systems. In addition to judges, court administrators, 

and other professionals, this document should be of interest to researchers in academia, government, and industry; 

federal, state, local, tribal, and international government agencies; developers of training and other educational 

resources; and justice policymakers, practitioners, and community stakeholders. NIJ will disseminate research 

fndings resulting from this strategic plan among these partner and constituent audiences to maximize their impact. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 1 
Background 

Courts play an integral role in the administration of justice as collaborators and intermediaries between defendants, 

victims, law enforcement, corrections, and the community. The most visible role of the courts is in legal 

proceedings — hearings or trials to adjudicate criminal and other court cases involving pretrial detention, violations, 

misdemeanors, felonies, revocations, and appeals as well as civil and other related matters. In practice, judges, 

prosecutors, and others engage in a variety of prevention, investigation, and service activities to promote public 

safety, cost-effciency, and fair and equitable treatment. 

This plan builds on the foundation of NIJ’s interdisciplinary Courts Research Portfolio, which is informed by a range 

of multidisciplinary and collaborative felds.1 These include the behavioral, social, and forensic sciences; health 

and physical sciences; technology; engineering; and mathematics. The proposed research agenda is guided by 

the understanding that: (1) responses to criminal behavior are based on theories of incapacitation, retribution, 

rehabilitation, specifc and general deterrence, and restitution and (2) effective responses are fair, proportionate 

to the crime, informed of collateral consequences, and delivered swiftly, with certainty, and with just severity. The 

plan’s priorities and objectives respond to the fndings of contemporary research and to needs and requirements 

identifed by prosecutors, defense counsel, judges, and other criminal justice stakeholders.2

 NIJ hopes they spark 

interest in studies to address both long-standing and emerging issues, whether they directly or indirectly infuence 

court outcomes. 

Scope and Defnitions 

The focus of this plan is on cases involving adult defendants and offenders. Court practices referenced may be 

similar to those in juvenile, dependency, or other civil court matters; however, recognizing the general differences 

in purpose, systems, and populations involved, this plan does not explicitly cover research needs related to those 

systems. Moreover, other NIJ research portfolios3 and strategic plans (see list in Reference Documents) may 

address topics that overlap with court research interests (e.g., investigation and charging, restorative justice). 

Future strategic plans may address juvenile justice systems and juveniles tried as adults in criminal courts, for 

example. 

1

 For more information on the Courts Research Portfolio, visit https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/courts. 

2

 For example, see Daniel S. Lawrence et al., Prosecutor Priorities, Challenges, and Solutions, Arlington, VA: RAND Corporation, 2019, 

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR2800/RR2892/RAND_RR2892.pdf. 

3

 Other NIJ research portfolios include Corrections, Crimes and Prevention, Forensic Sciences, and Policing. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 2 
Following are a few basic terms used to defne and distinguish key concepts. Other points of clarifcation are 

provided throughout the document as footnotes with applicable references. 

• The court workforce is the individual court and related agency staff who fulfll specifc roles that serve the court. 

These practitioners are judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, interpreters, court reporters, bailiffs, clerks, victim/ 

witness assistants, court coordinators and administrators, jury commissioners, and other courthouse staff. 

Across and within agencies, these individuals collaborate in various court workgroups4 to carry out trial and 

other functions that help the court meet its goals. 

• Criminal justice stakeholders include law enforcement, forensic science, medicolegal death investigation, 

pretrial service, jail detention, community and institutional corrections, and other criminal justice agencies. 

• Other court stakeholders include jurors, victims, witnesses, defendants, victim advocates, treatment and other 

service providers, the media, and other community representatives. 

Research Partners and Shared Goals 

NIJ envisions that meeting the court research priorities outlined in this plan will require interdisciplinary 

collaboration among many partners who share the goals of advancing the administration of justice and protecting 

public safety. These groups range widely from academic and other research organizations that conduct objective 

research, development, evaluation, and policy analysis studies to the myriad practitioners and other stakeholders 

who are research participants, users, and potential initiators. 

NIJ will continue to collaborate with professional organizations and federal agencies to promote the Courts 

Strategic Research Plan. Partnerships may leverage funding, in-kind support, and other resources to collect, 

analyze, and review research applicable to court practice. Activities may include supporting translation and 

dissemination of research fndings suitable for training and technical assistance, conferences, and other media. 

NIJ may also educate national, state, and local policymakers and criminal justice stakeholders on the benefts 

of evidence-based court practice, highlighting promising practices and opportunities for support. Finally, NIJ will 

solicit feedback from courts and other stakeholders on the strategic research plan and its effects to increase its 

potential impact. 

4

 A workgroup is a core unit that regularly interacts to achieve court goals, and membership may vary. We acknowledge that prosecutors and 

public defenders are not part of the judicial branch, and probation offcers may be assigned directly to courts. 

 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 3 
Courts Strategic Research Plan: 

Priorities and Objectives 

NIJ sponsors research, development, and evaluation to identify court tools, programs, and policies that satisfy 

criminal justice goals, including public safety, cost-effciency, and fair and equitable treatment of victims and 

defendants. 

NIJ has identifed four strategic research priorities for the Courts Strategic Research Plan, under which a 

comprehensive set of objectives and action items may be organized: 

I. Promote and support research to develop the courts workforce and enhance court workgroups. 

II. Promote and support research to advance court practice. 

III. Promote and support research on the fair and impartial administration of justice. 

IV. Promote data and research capacity building. 

The frst three priorities follow NIJ’s plan framework: personnel, organizational practice, and individual/community 

affected by (and infuencing) the criminal justice system. This plan begins with individual court and related agency 

staff, who operate within a complex system of prosecutor and other offces, which in turn collaborate with external 

criminal justice agencies and the larger community of defendants and other stakeholders. The fourth priority 

refects a concern about access to valid and reliable information, which is critical to the success of the respective 

missions of NIJ, the courts, and related agencies. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

©PC Jail Courtroom 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 4 
5

 See National Center for State Courts Performance Measurement Resource Guide in Reference Documents. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Strategic Priority I: 

Promote and Support Research To 

Develop the Courts Workforce and 

Enhance Court Workgroups 

The plan begins with individual staff and all phases of professional development — education, recruitment, 

training, mentoring, coaching, leadership, and retention. This is relevant to trial and administrative staff of the 

court and related agencies who contribute to the court’s performance. In various units within and across agencies, 

workgroups help the court meet its goals for access to justice; expedition and timeliness; equality, fairness, and 

integrity; independence and accountability; and public trust and confdence.5

 The focus is not only on individuals, 

but also on interpersonal supports and organizational values that affect workgroup norms. Furthermore, we should 

examine these factors in the context of today’s limited budgets and advances in forensic science and technology 

that present both greater resources and higher demands. Access to professional development opportunities 

promotes innovations (e.g., learning networks) and permits evaluation of the impact of investments in training new 

staff, enhancing the skill sets of tenured staff, and revitalizing court workgroups and agency units. 

Objectives 

Objective I.A: Research strategies to develop the courts workforce. 

• Study the staffng, skills, education, and experience needed for today’s workforce. 

• Examine the challenges of and evaluate solutions for workforce recruitment and retention. 

• Study, develop, and assess the resources necessary to support workforce development. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 5 
6

 Court culture refers to how judges, attorneys, administrators, and other staff proceed in achieving daily tasks as a function of offcial and 

unoffcial policies, communication networks, and authority allocations. 

7

 Cultural competency in research and practice denotes being respectful of and responsive to needs that vary according to race, ethnicity, 

language, literacy, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, income level, and other characteristics. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Objective I.B: Research training and education to enhance court workgroup functions. 

• Evaluate the impact of education curricula on court workgroup functions. 

• Evaluate the impact of coaching/mentoring and training on court workgroup functions. 

• Examine the relationship between training, court culture,6 and court workgroup functions. 

• Evaluate the impact of supervisory and leadership training on court workgroup functions. 

• Examine the relationship between training, cultural competency,7 and court workgroup functions. 

• Study, develop, and assess training technologies that enhance court workgroup functions. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 6 
National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Strategic Priority II: 

Promote and Support Research 

To Advance Court Practice 

This section addresses the basic concerns of courts and related agencies: operations (e.g., dockets, security), 

case management (e.g., diversion, failure to appear), hearings (e.g., jury trials), procedures (e.g., rules of evidence, 

court rules), and policies (e.g., vertical/horizontal prosecution, competency determinations, plea bargaining). 

These concerns require constant assessment and change for the court to maintain its capacity to respond to 

contemporary court case needs. Topics of interest include information sharing, videoconferencing and other 

technologies, specialized case units or court dockets, forensic evidence, pretrial services, sentencing, victims, 

witnesses, and juror management. 

Objectives 

Objective II.A: Research strategies to advance court operations. 

• Study, develop, and assess information sharing that enhances court operations. 

• Evaluate the impact of forensic evidence8 on court operations. 

• Evaluate the impact of victim, witness, or juror support and management strategies on court operations. 

• Evaluate the impact of facilities management — including computer security and other safety protections — 

on court operations. 

• Evaluate the impact of staffng, budget, and other resource allocations on court operations. 

• Study the effects of interpreter service policies and procedures on court operations. 

• Study, develop, and assess technologies9

 that enhance court operations. 

8

 Forensic evidence includes a variety of case information derived from the identifcation, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence or 

data, such as biological (e.g., DNA) and physical traces and digital/multimedia evidence (e.g., in the case of cybercrimes). It may also include 

information derived from forensic psychological examinations, such as victim or defendant interviews. 

9

 Technologies include a variety of tools, protocols, and systems ranging from text messaging to videoconferencing, computer-generated 

presentations, and security equipment. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 7 
©Multnomah County District Attorney’s Offce 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Objective II.B: Research strategies to advance case management. 

• Examine the effects of evidence (such as forensic analysis, delays, and management) on case management. 

• Evaluate the impact of legal and other court procedures on case management. 

• Evaluate the impact of changes in court policies and practices on case management. 

• Evaluate the impact of pretrial processes on case management. 

• Evaluate the impact of information sharing on case management. 

• Evaluate the impact of specialized prosecution and defense units on case management. 

• Evaluate the impact of specialized court dockets on case management. 

• Study, develop, and assess technologies that enhance case management. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 8 
10 Outcomes may relate to the individual defendant/offender, the victim, or other parties affected by incarceration and the legal, fnancial, and 

other case consequences. 

11 Court decision-making refers to the determinations made by judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, and others regarding whether and how to 

proceed at each stage of the case. 

12 Legal defense programs vary in organization (public defender, assigned counsel, and contract attorneys, including representation for confict 

cases), indigence determination, resources, and other ways. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Objective II.C: Research strategies to advance case outcomes.10 

• Study the effects of court workgroup characteristics and dynamics on case outcomes. 

• Evaluate the impact of information sharing on case outcomes. 

• Examine the relationship between court decision-making11 and case dispositions. 

• Evaluate the impact of legal defense programs12 on case outcomes. 

• Examine factors that infuence criminal and other court fling decisions and their effects on case outcomes. 

• Evaluate the impact of diversion and other prosecutor programs on case outcomes. 

• Evaluate the impact of specialized or problem-solving courts on case outcomes. 

• Study the effects of investigative and trial applications of forensic evidence on case outcomes. 

• Evaluate the impact of victim services on case outcomes. 

Objective II.D: Research strategies to advance court policies and procedures. 

• Evaluate the impact of court policies and procedures on the use of forensic and other evidence. 

• Examine the relationship between testimony (from victims, witnesses, and experts) and the actions of 

prosecutors, defense counsel, judges, or juries. 

• Evaluate the impact of court policies and procedures on expert witness testimony, including testimony for 

forensic evidence examinations. 

• Evaluate the impact of bail and other pretrial legislation on court policies and decision-making. 

• Evaluate the impact of case law, sentencing guidelines, mandatory minimums, and other postconviction 

legislation on court policies and decision-making. 

• Study the effects of court policies and procedures on the implementation of technology. 

• Evaluate the impact of court policies and procedures on competency determinations. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 9 
13 See links to American Bar Association Standards by role under Reference Documents. 

 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Strategic Priority III: 

Promote and Support Research on the 

Fair and Impartial Administration of Justice 

The court and its related agencies have long served multiple functions in the administration of justice and protection of 

public safety. This includes monitoring cases to prevent wrongful conviction, providing appropriate counsel, ensuring that 

victims’ voices are heard, and preserving the perceived legitimacy of the judicial system. More recent examples include 

leading crime prevention initiatives, supervising pretrial programming, and overseeing reentry programs. 

Courts are not alone in having multiple and evolving roles. The role of prosecutors is not only to prosecute individual 

cases brought by law enforcement, but also to identify and address the legal and safety concerns of their jurisdictions. 

The role of defense counsel is not only to advocate for defendants, but also to improve the legal system and help 

communities through education and service. Judges have a duty to promote public confdence in the courts.13 While 

courts may lead such efforts, they cannot do so without the guidance and resources contributed by community 

stakeholders, including providers of mental health, alcohol, and drug treatment and other services. 

Objectives 

Objective III.A: Research the dynamics of community and criminal justice stakeholders and their 

infuence on the court. 

• Examine the effects of court workgroup relationships on the administration of justice. 

• Examine the effects of court relationships with other criminal justice stakeholders on the administration of justice. 

• Examine the infuence of perceived legitimacy and public trust on victim, witness, and juror participation. 

• Study the effects of stakeholder advocacy and reforms on court priorities. 

• Examine the effects of procedural and distributive justice on court relationships with the community. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 10 
National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Objective III.B: Research the impact of court strategies on the administration of justice and 

public safety. 

• Evaluate the impact of pretrial strategies on the administration of justice and public safety. 

• Evaluate the impact of community prosecution and other strategies on the administration of justice and 

public safety. 

• Evaluate the impact of holistic and other defense strategies on the administration of justice and public safety. 

• Evaluate the impact of specialized dockets and other judge-led strategies on the administration of justice and 

public safety. 

• Study the effects of conviction integrity and other case reviews on rightful/wrongful convictions and misconduct. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 11 
National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Strategic Priority IV: 

Promote Data and Research Capacity Building 

External and in-house court researchers need valid and reliable data collection and analysis resources to support 

problem identifcation, performance measurement, and rigorous research and evaluation efforts. Practitioners 

and other stakeholders also rely on these data and research fndings to make operational, programmatic, and 

policy decisions. Courts must navigate technical limitations, resource constraints, and other policy, legal, and 

ethical barriers to ensure that critical information is collected and readily accessible, data integrity and security are 

maintained, and necessary data sharing and collaboration can occur with stakeholders outside of the courts. We 

need to identify strategies that enhance the capacity of courts and related agencies to collect, analyze, and share 

data to improve the quality of research and increase the use of evidence in court practice. 

Objectives 

Objective IV.A: Research strategies to enhance the capacity of courts and related agencies to 

collect and analyze data. 

• Study, develop, and assess tools and procedures to improve the quality, accuracy, and completeness of 

court records. 

• Study, develop, and assess tools and procedures to enhance secure access to records and minimize recordkeeper burden. 

• Study, develop, and assess data scraping and other innovative techniques to leverage court information for 

data extraction and analysis. 

• Study, develop, and assess efforts to facilitate the data collection, information sharing, and analysis capabilities 

of court practitioners. 

• Study, develop, and assess efforts to facilitate research and innovation testing by court practitioners. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 12 
14 Evidence-based means integrating the best available research fndings, practitioner expertise, and other resources with the needs, values, and 

preferences of those affected. 

National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Objective IV.B: Research and support the use of evidence-based14 practices by courts and 

related agencies. 

• Study, develop, and assess performance measures that examine policy and procedure implementation. 

• Assess the integration and long-term effects of evidence-based practices in court education and training 

programs. 

• Partner researchers with practitioners to develop court research-to-practice initiatives. 

• Assess the use and effects of evidence-based practices among courts. 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 13 
National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Acknowledgments 

NIJ Courts Strategic Research Plan Workgroup 

Brett Chapman, Ph.D., William Ford, Maureen McGough, J.D., Jonathan McGrath, Ph.D., Angela Moore, Ph.D., 

Martin Novak, Matthew Sutterer, Ph.D., and Linda Truitt, Ph.D. 

Internal Reviewers 

Benjamin Adams and George (Chris) Tillery, National Institute of Justice; Tammy Brown, Priya Sarathy-Jones, 

Gregory Torain, and Jessa Wilcox, Bureau of Justice Assistance; Suzanne Strong, Bureau of Justice Statistics; 

James Smith, Offce on Violence Against Women. 

External Reviewers 

Allison Boyd, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Offce, Colorado; Kevin Bowling, J.D., 20th Circuit Court, 

Ottawa County, Michigan; Tara Boh Blair, Administrative Offce of the Courts, Frankfort, Kentucky; Malia Brink, J.D., 

American Bar Association, Washington, D.C.; Chief John Johnson, Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation 

Department, Miami, Florida; the Hon. Ron Reinstein, J.D., retired, Arizona; and Mark Vargo, J.D., Pennington 

County State’s Attorney, South Dakota. 

©KLH49/iStock 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 14 
National Institute of Justice | NIJ.ojp.gov 

Reference Documents 

Other NIJ Strategic Research Plans 

National Institute of Justice Corrections Strategic Research Plan, 2018-2023, 

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffles1/nij/251919.pdf 

National Institute of Justice Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Initiative Strategic Plan, 2018-2023, 

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffles1/nij/251765.pdf 

National Institute of Justice Policing Strategic Research Plan, 2017-2022, 

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffles1/nij/250915.pdf 

National Institute of Justice Strategic Research and Implementation Plan: Sentinel Events Initiative, 2017-2021, 

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffles1/nij/250472.pdf 

National Institute of Justice Safety, Health, and Wellness Strategic Research Plan, 2016-2021, 

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffles1/nij/250153.pdf 

National Center for State Courts Performance Measurement Resource Guide 

https://www.ncsc.org/Topics/Court-Management/Performance-Measurement/Resource-Guide.aspx 

National Association for Court Management Core Competencies 

https://nacmnet.org/who-we-are/initiatives/core-competencies/ 

American Bar Association Standards 

Prosecutors: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/standards/ProsecutionFunctionFourthEdition.html 

Defense Counsel: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/standards/DefenseFunctionFourthEdition.html 

Judges: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_code_of_judicial_ 

conduct/mcjc_canon_1/ruke1_2promotingconfdenceinthejudiciary.html 

Courts Strategic Research Plan • 2020-2024 15 
NCJ 254684