Every year, OJJDP sponsors a National Missing Children's Day poster contest for fifth-grade students designed to raise awareness of the problem of missing children. The national winner will be announced at the Department of Justice's Missing Children’s Day Ceremony in May 2010. (OJJDP)

The National Institute of Corrections has selected Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming to participate in the next phase of the Transition from Prison to Community (TPC) Initiative. The TPC model encourages strategic system changes to reduce recidivism and future victimization; to enhance public safety; and to improve the lives of communities, victims, and offenders. (NIC)

Application deadline: October 26, 2009
The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators, through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, is seeking proposals for innovative and collaborative projects to raise public awareness of victims’ rights and services in local communities during National Crime Victims' Rights Week (April 18-24, 2010). For more information, visit the NCVRW CAP Web site. (OVC)

"The BJA/PERF Body Armor National Survey: Protecting the Nation's Law Enforcement Officers" provides the results of a survey conducted in 2007 with a large, nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies about policies and practices regarding body armor. (BJA)

"Reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact: Preparation at the Local Level" (NCJ 218861, 12 pp.), the first in OJJDP's new DMC bulletin series, describes strategies that states and communities can use to reduce disproportionate minority contact (DMC) with the juvenile justice system. The bulletin includes guidance drawn from OJJDP's Disproportionate Minority Contact Technical Assistance Manual. (OJJDP)

"Back on Track: A Problem-Solving Reentry Court" (FS 000316, 2 pp.) discusses a promising approach for prosecutors who want to redirect low-level, nonaddicted drug sellers away from incarceration and into productive, crime-free lives. (BJA)

"NIJ Helps Police to Exchange Driver's License Photos" (NCJ 225801, 2 pp.) describes NIJ's collaboration with law enforcement agencies in North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, and Virginia in a pilot project to transmit driver's license photographs across state lines and deliver the photos to an officer's computer within seconds of a request. (NIJ)

"Mental Health Courts: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice" (NCJ 228274, 54 pp.) helps policymakers and practitioners understand available research to better design, implement, and evaluate mental health courts. The guide reviews research findings that address the extent to which mental health courts have been found to achieve their stated goals. (BJA)

OJJDP's National Youth Gang Center has posted updated findings and analyses from the National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS). Conducted annually since 1995, NYGS is a systematic survey of law enforcement agencies across the nation that assesses the presence, extent, and characteristics of local gang problems. (OJJDP)

OVC invites you to add your fall 2009 and winter 2010 commemorative events to the OVC National Calendar of Crime Victim Assistance-Related Events. This resource helps you locate, plan, and promote victim assistance-related events nationwide, allowing you to connect with a larger audience and gain national exposure. (OVC)

During National Crime Prevention Month (October 2009), NCJRS invites you to view the Celebrate Safe Communities Special Feature. This Web page contains links to publications and online resources that are designed to promote safety in neighborhoods and communities, businesses, schools, and households. (NCJRS)

The National Training and Technical Assistance Needs Assessment Survey was developed to assess the needs of the victim services community. OVC encourages all victim service professionals to complete the online survey. Your input is vital in developing and designing new training opportunities. Register now and receive resources to help meet your identified needs. (OVC)

The "Promising Practices for Serving Crime Victims With Disabilities" bulletin and companion toolkit help organizations seeking to improve their response to crime victims with disabilities. These products were developed by SafePlace under an OVC grant. (OVC)

This issue of "Justice Today" highlights several BJA workshops that will be held at the upcoming Annual International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference. The newsletter also features recent publication releases dealing with pandemics, smart policing, and the results of a national survey on law enforcement body armor. (BJA)

The OVC Web Forum is an online tool for victim service providers to share best practices. OVC coordinates monthly Guest Host Sessions on a topic of interest within the victim assistance community. Sign up for the Web Forum E-Alert to receive details about future sessions, including Elder Abuse in Indian Country (November) and Substance Abuse and Victimization (December). (OVC)

Apply now for National Victim Assistance Academy V, to be held February 28-March 5, 2010, in Portland, Oregon. Continuing Education Units will be awarded to participants who complete all of the requirements of the Foundation-Level Training, Professional Skill-Building Institute, or Leadership Institute. (OVC)

The Personal Protective Equipment 2009 Conference, Exhibition, and Training will be held November 16-19, 2009, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The conference will highlight emerging technologies in the area of personal protective equipment and will include an exhibition of new technologies, a seminar series on standards and next-generation tools, and training events. (NIJ)

OVC's online Ethics in Victim Services curriculum helps users develop skills related to ethical standards in victim services and decisionmaking. This download center contains all of the materials needed to conduct the training. (OVC)

On October 11-14, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the National Partnership for Juvenile Services will hold its symposium Representing America's Youth: Transforming the Field of Juvenile Services. Workshops will address topics such as community-based and residential care, education of youth in confinement, health and mental health care issues, and juvenile detention and corrections. (OJJDP)

On October 7, 2009, the National Institute of Corrections will present part 2 of its series on correctional industries during an interactive, 3-hour, live satellite/Internet broadcast titled "Innovative Reentry Strategies: The Emerging Role of Correctional Industries." This broadcast will focus on the presentation of new reentry strategies and will highlight programs around the country that reflect best practices. (NIC)

Register for OVC's upcoming training workshops, including Supporting Children Living with Grief and Trauma: A Multidisciplinary Approach, October 27-28, 2009, in Baltimore, Maryland, and Identifying and Responding to Elder Abuse, November 18-19, 2009, in San Jose, California. To view course descriptions and learning objectives or to register, visit the OVC TTAC Web site. (OVC)