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 Strategic Research Plans: Defining Challenges, Inspiring Research June 15, 2022
New Release, Revisions Underway

NIJ has released the Forensic Science Research and Development Strategic Research Plan, 2022-2026.

We're revising the current policing, corrections, and courts strategic research plans. As revised plans are released, they will be linked from this page and announced via our subscriber email lists.

To support our strategic and overarching research goals, we have developed a series of strategic research plans on topics within crime and justice that span our two science offices. These plans build off of existing research knowledge; input about research needs gathered from practitioners, policymakers and researchers; and the priorities of Congress and the Administration.

We anticipate that investments made under these plans will dramatically improve the body of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners rely on to promote safety, prevent and respond to crime, and advance justice at every level of the criminal justice system.

Each strategic research plan emphasizes the importance of supporting multidisciplinary scholarship and practice that address the spectrum of issues facing criminal justice in the United States. To meet the goals of each plan, we envision researchers from all disciplines working together and connecting areas of research that have not previously been connected. The collaboration necessary to meet the goals of each plan is not limited to the research communities. Researchers will need to engage with and understand policy and practice communities as well. We are confident that in the future NIJ's research will be cross-disciplinary and collaborative, encouraging the field to view the criminal justice system holistically, while drawing on expertise of other fields that have been examining topics relevant to crime and justice.

We anticipate that investments made under these plans will dramatically improve the body of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners rely on to promote safety, prevent and respond to crime, and advance justice at every level of the criminal justice system. Finally, we hope that by clearly outlining the most pressing challenges, we will guide the research community to begin addressing these questions and garner new interest in scientific research as it applies to the criminal justice system.

Current active plans:

Forensic Sciences, 2022-2026Current plans under revision.

Courts, 2020-2024
	Corrections, 2018-2023
	Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Initiative, 2018-2023
	Policing, 2017-2022Expired plans:

Safety, Health, and Wellness, 2016-2021​
	Strategic Research Plan for the Sentinel Events Initiative, 2017-2021
  
Date Modified: June 15, 2022
        NIJ is revising all current strategic research plans. Links to plans under revision have been removed.
        Date Published: June 15, 2022
    
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