I

t is the purpose of this subchapter to establish a National Institute 

of Justice, which shall provide for and encourage research and 

demonstration efforts for the purpose of —

(1) improving Federal, State, and local criminal justice systems and 

related aspects of the civil justice system; 

(2) preventing and reducing crimes; 

(3) insuring citizen access to appropriate dispute-resolution forums; and 

(4) identifying programs of proven effectiveness, programs having a 

record of proven success, or programs which offer a high probability of 

improving the functioning of the criminal justice system.

— Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968

(34 U.S.C. § 10121)

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE

AHEAD

OF ITS TIME

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

INFORM

NIJ’s scientific investments inform the 

national conversation on issues of criminal 

and juvenile justice and public safety. 

The results of NIJ-funded research give 

policymakers and practitioners the best 

available evidence to make decisions, 

and the research builds knowledge that 

advances both science and practice.

Subscribe and follow us to get research reports and articles, funding announcements, 

event and training alerts, and more, as we all continue to advance our nation’s LEARN

criminal justice response. 

We invest in research across scientific 

disciplines — including the social and 

behavioral sciences, physical sciences, 

engineering, and technology — to provide 

evidence-based knowledge that will 

strengthen the justice system. 

LISTEN

Improving our ability to understand and 

respond to crime and justice challenges 

begins with listening to the field. NIJ regularly 

engages with criminal and juvenile justice 

researchers and professionals to gather 

information on what knowledge, tools, and 

resources are necessary to reduce crime and 

advance justice. 

FOLLOW NIJ

INTO THE FUTURE!

Keyword “subscribe”

on NIJ.ojp.gov

@OJPNIJ @OJPNIJ

WHO

WE ARE

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the 

research, development, and evaluation 

agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Our mission is to improve the knowledge 

and understanding of crime and justice 

issues through science. 

To accomplish this mission, we listen

to the needs of the field; learn

ways to meet those needs; and 

inform the field of what we 

learned. 

*NCJ~254332*
1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012 2017

1967-70 

The Commission on Law 

Enforcement and Administration 

of Justice, appointed by President 

Lyndon Johnson, releases 

The Challenge of Crime in a 

Free Society, which lays the 

groundwork for a national crime 

and justice policy.

Congress passes the Omnibus 

Crime Control and Safe Streets 

Act, which creates NIJ (then 

called the National Institute of 

Law Enforcement and Criminal 

Justice) to monitor and support 

federally funded criminal justice 

research. 

NIJ begins operations with 

35 employees and a budget 

of $2.5 million.

1971-73

NIJ publishes the first 

performance standard for ballisticresistant police body armor and 

funds development of soft body 

armor, an initiative destined to 

save thousands of officers from 

serious injury and death.

An NIJ-funded study on 

delinquency finds that a small 

proportion of criminals commit 

most crimes.

NIJ launches the National Criminal 

Justice Reference Service.

U.S. Parole Commission adopts 

research-based guidelines for 

parole decisions; several states 

follow.

1974-76 

Findings of a Kansas City 

experiment indicate that preventive 

patrol—officers driving squad 

cars through random areas—

does not necessarily prevent 

crime. Many police departments 

begin issuing officers specific 

proactive assignments.

An NIJ-funded study reveals 

the difficulties victims face in 

the criminal justice system. 

Recommended reforms lead to 

the creation of victim assistance 

programs nationwide. 

NIJ successfully introduces police 

soft body armor with a 15-city 

pilot, during which 18 officers’ 

lives are saved.

1977-79 

NIJ initiates the crime laboratory 

proficiency testing program to 

measure the accuracy of evidence 

analysis nationwide.

The Justice System 

Improvement Act provides 

a four-year authorization for 

justice assistance, research, and 

statistics programs. The new act 

establishes four organizations 

within the Department of Justice, 

including the National Institute of 

Justice.

NIJ establishes a nationwide 

program to test police body 

armor in collaboration with the 

International Association of 

Chiefs of Police. 

The National Archive of Criminal 

Justice Data is established.

1980-82 

Results of the NIJ-sponsored 

Newark Foot Patrol Experiment 

are released. This and subsequent 

experiments foreshadow the 

development of community 

policing.

Research shows a link between 

drug use and crime, setting 

the stage for the 1987 launch 

of federal-local partnerships to 

collect data and measure drug 

use among arrestees.

1983-85

A Minneapolis experiment 

indicates that arresting subjects 

significantly cuts the risk of repeat 

violence against the same victim.

Research finds that the best 

predictor of success in drug 

treatment is the length of time 

one stays in treatment.

Research in California finds 

that routine probation provides 

insufficient punishment for 

offenders and inadequate 

protection for the community, 

which spurs interest in 

intermediate sanctions.

1986-88 

NIJ begins support for the 

development of DNA technology 

applicable to criminal justice. 

NIJ initiates the analysis of 

arrestee drug use through its 

Drug Use Forecasting program.

NIJ funds a project to apply crime 

mapping to community policing 

in Chicago, paving the way for 

computer-based crime mapping 

with geospatial information 

systems.

1989-91 

The first drug court in the United 

States is established in Miami. NIJ 

evaluation eventually shows drug 

courts hold promise for reducing 

drug-related recidivism. 

NIJ launches the Drug Market 

Analysis Program, applying 

computer-based crime mapping

to hot spots policing.

1992-94 

Research confirms a “cycle 

of violence” in which abused, 

neglected children are more 

likely to become involved in later 

criminal behavior.

NIJ creates the National Law 

Enforcement and Corrections 

Technology Centers to respond 

to regional needs for technology 

information and assistance. 

NIJ begins research on less-lethal 

weapons.

NIJ makes an award to the 

University of Virginia that helps 

pioneer the DNA analysis 

technique used worldwide today.

1995-97 

NIJ initiates major research and 

evaluation efforts in program 

areas included in the 1994 

Violent Crime Control and Law 

Enforcement Act.

Under Operation Ceasefire, Boston 

police and NIJ-funded researchers 

confront gang-related youth 

homicides. Police place pressure 

on gang members to discourage 

gun carrying, a strategy termed 

“lever pulling.”

NIJ establishes the Crime Mapping 

Research Center to promote the 

use of geospatial information 

systems for crime mapping.

1998-2000 

NIJ forms the National 

Commission on the Future 

of DNA Evidence, leading to 

recommendations on the use of 

DNA in the criminal justice system. 

Results from the National Violence 

Against Women Survey show that 

more than half of women reported 

being physically assaulted at some 

point in their lives.

Following the attack at Columbine 

High School, NIJ funding helps 

launch the Safe School Initiative 

to prevent school attacks in the 

United States.

NIJ awards the first W.E.B. DuBois 

Fellowships to support research 

on crime, violence, and the 

administration of justice in diverse 

cultural contexts.

NIJ establishes the Arrestee Drug 

Abuse Monitoring Program.

2001-03 

NIJ responds to the 9/11 attacks 

with onsite assistance, including 

search and rescue tools and 

technology and protective gear.

Six cities are found to have 

reduced firearm violence through 

action research initiated by NIJ.

NIJ-funded research provides the 

first comprehensive national look 

at rape and sexual assault on 

college campuses.

NIJ’s Mapping and Analysis for 

Public Safety (MAPS) program 

supports research on how 

geographic information systems 

can enhance public safety and 

identify crime hot spots.

2004-06 

NIJ funds a multiyear, multisite 

evaluation of the Serious and 

Violent Offender Reentry Initiative.

NIJ begins funding DNA testing for 

violent crime cold cases that have 

not been analyzed with current 

DNA technology.

The first passive millimeter wave 

weapons detection system, 

developed with NIJ funding, 

is installed for live passenger 

screening.

2007-09 

NIJ launches the National 

Missing and Unidentified 

Persons System (NamUs). 

NIJ establishes the Forensic 

Technology Center of Excellence 

to provide support and expertise 

to law enforcement, crime 

laboratories, and criminal 

justice agencies. 

An NIJ study finds that sexual 

assault nurse examiner programs 

contribute to higher prosecution 

and conviction rates.

NIJ funding provided through 

the Postconviction DNA Testing 

Assistance program contributes

to an exoneration.

2010-12

NIJ funds action research in 

Houston and Detroit to understand 

the issue of unsubmitted sexual 

assault kits and identify effective 

responses.

Through the Sentinel Events 

Initiative, NIJ begins investigating 

the feasibility of using sentinel 

event reviews in the criminal 

justice system.

NIJ publishes its first bomb suit 

standard. 

NIJ releases a study concluding 

that when conducted energy 

devices are properly used as an 

alternative to deadly force, they 

can reduce injuries to officers and 

suspects alike.

2013-15

NIJ begins running 

CrimeSolutions.gov, a searchable 

online database of evidence-based 

programs.

NIJ and the International 

Association of Chiefs of Police 

launch the Law Enforcement 

Advancing Data and Science 

(LEADS) program to identify and 

support rising leaders in law 

enforcement. 

NIJ launches the Violence Against 

American Indian Women National 

Baseline Study, the first national 

study conducted in Indian Country 

and Alaska Native villages.

NIJ-funded research characterizes 

the organization, operation, 

and victimization process of 

labor trafficking across multiple 

industries in the United States.

NIJ partners with the FBI 

Laboratory to test and analyze 

sexual assault kits.

2016-17

NIJ publishes the first standard for 

the electronic monitoring systems 

used to monitor offenders in the 

community. 

The Center for Advanced Research 

in Forensic Science is established 

with joint sponsorship by the 

National Science Foundation 

and NIJ.

NamUs formalizes relationship 

with the FBI Latent Print Support 

Unit to analyze and search all 

fingerprints in the system.

50 Years of NIJ