MENU TITLE: NIJ Science and Technology Awards Under the Crime Act: Fiscal Year 1996. Series: NIJ Research in Brief Published: July 1997 16 pages 20,900 bytes U.S. Department of Justice Office of Programs National Institute of Justice Jeremy Travis, Director Research in Brief July 1997 NIJ Science and Technology Awards Under the Crime Act: Fiscal Year 1996 ------------------------------ *Companion lists of other NIJ research projects are also available in the Research in Brief series: NIJ Awards Under the Crime Act: Fiscal Year 1996, and NIJ Awards in Fiscal Year 1996. ------------------------------ * Grants without identifying numbers will be assigned them after final processing. Numbers prefixed with "97" indicate grants awarded in 1997 with 1996 funding. ------------------------------ The National Institute of Justice has pioneered many of the advances in science and technology that help deter, identify, and apprehend offenders, and that ensure access by criminal justice professionals to the tools and equipment they need to perform their jobs more efficiently. In recent years those efforts have received further impetus in a number of ways. One is a partnership between NIJ and the Department of Defense to promote the transfer and adoption of technologies from military to domestic use. Development of less-than-lethal technologies is an area of emphasis in that partnership. NIJ's establishment of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system, with its regional offices, is making technology information and developments more accessible to the field. Most recently, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 has served as a major catalyst for NIJ science and technology developments. One of the chief areas for technology development under the Crime Act is community policing. In partnership with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services of the Department of Justice, NIJ has supported the development of "COPS technologies" with Crime Act funding that will aid police departments and officers in adopting the principles and strategies of community policing. DNA testing, which is proving its effectiveness in the adjudication process and which has long been a focus of NIJ research, is receiving added support from the Crime Act, with NIJ funding for improvements in State and local forensics laboratories. And as amended in 1996, the Crime Act contains provisions to identify, develop, and purchase technologies for use by State and local law enforcement, and vests NIJ with the authority to provide this assistance. Each of the technology development and related projects sponsored by NIJ under the Crime Act in 1996 in these areas is listed here.* The number is that of the grant; followed by the project title; name of the institution, agency, or corporation that received the award; name of the principal investigator or contractor; and the award amount. General Technology Support 96-LB-VX-K008 Facilitation of Domestic and International Technology Partnerships in Counter Terrorism Efforts Eagan, McAllister Associates, Inc. Robert Greenberg $298,000 This award supports the development of NIJ partnerships with technology and law enforcement organizations that can work together with NIJ on counter terrorism efforts. 96-MU-MU-0018 Field Evaluation of the System for the Effective Control of Urban Environment Security (SECURES) University of Cincinnati Loraine Green Mazerolle $150,000 (plus $50,000 NIJ base funds) This project is evaluating the impact in Dallas of SECURES, which uses technology developed for the military to detect and report the location of gunshots in an urban environment. The research is documenting partnership-building efforts among the Dallas Police Department, Alliant Techsystems, Inc., and the local community. 96-LB-VX-K002 NIJ Surplus Property Program Ultimate Enterprise Limited Michael Simpson $150,000 This project is developing procedures for locating, selecting, storing, repairing, and transferring select Department of Defense surplus property to State and local law enforcement and corrections agencies. 96-LB-VX-A043 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Forensic Sciences Program U.S. Department of Energy Susan Heiser $250,000 This award supports the establishment of a Department of Energy-NIJ forensic laboratory alliance for law enforcement. 96-LB-VX-K007 Regional Gang Information System: Phase I Police Executive Research Forum Clifford Karchmer $425,000 This project is conducting an initial demonstration of the Massachusetts Lotus Notes application to determine whether it can be used to establish a National Gang Tracking Network and is reviewing the legal and regulatory requirements that could impact the design, operation, and use of such a network. 96-LB-VX-A038 Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance for the National Institute of Justice Office of Science and Technology U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Support Office Carl F. Kiele $850,000 This award supports program and technical management, planning and oversight, and systems engineering and technical evaluation for NIJ's science and technology programs. 94-IJ-CX-A004 Technology Assessment Program U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology Kathleen Higgins $1,500,000 (plus $1,100,000 NIJ base funds) This award supports technology development started under NIJ's Technology Assessment Program, including DNA PCR standards, laboratory accreditation under NVLAP, armor piercing ammunition testing, trauma plate testing, less- than-lethal technologies technical support, integrated systems digital network standards, and ballistic studies in support of the body armor program. 96-LB-VX-K004 Working With Technology in Corrections American Correctional Association John J. Greene $100,000 This award is identifying, locating, and evaluating methods used to purchase correctional technologies and support a conference to introduce manufacturers and suppliers to a cross-section of practitioners who will share their experiences with and expectations of the costs of technology. Less-Than-Lethal Weapons Technology 96-MU-MU-K016 Law Enforcement Technology, Technology Transfer, Less-Than-Lethal Technology, and Policy Assessment SEASKATE, Inc. E.A. Burkhalter $154,000 (plus $79,000 NIJ base funds) A policy and technology assessment panel is reviewing law enforcement technologies that are the most promising in the short and long terms and that should be the focus of further development and adaptation. 96-LB-VX-K006 Law Enforcement Technology, Technology Transfer, Less-Than-Lethal Weapons Technology, and Policy Liability Assessment SEASKATE, Inc. E.A. Burkhalter $198,000 This award supports efforts to assess the legal liability that might arise from the deployment of certain less-than-lethal technologies and make recommendations regarding liability issues. Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers NIJ's National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center and its regional centers offer centralized sources of product and technology information, assessment, and referral services to law enforcement, corrections, and other criminal justice professionals. NIJ also supports a Border Research and Technology Center that focuses on developing and enhancing border research and technology. 96-MU-MU-K011 National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center--Rockville, MD Aspen Systems Corporation Richard Rosenthal $1,600,000 (plus $100,000 NIJ base funds) 96-IJ-CX-A032 National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center: Northeastern Region--Rome, NY U.S. Air Force, Rome Laboratory John A. Ritz $250,000 (plus $450,000 NIJ base funds) 96-LB-VX-K005 National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center: Southeastern Region--Charleston, SC South Carolina Research Authority Gary Mastrandrea $1,562,000 96-MU-MU-K012 National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center: Western Region--Denver, CO University of Denver, Colorado Seminary Deborah G. Bradford $550,000 (plus $202,000 NIJ base funds) 96-MU-MU-K006 National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center: Western Region--San Diego, CA Aerospace Corporation Robert M. Pentz $117,000 (plus $598,000 NIJ base funds) Community-Oriented Policing Technology* 97-IJ-CX-K005 APD Intranet/Briefing Stations City of Arlington (Texas) Police Department Larry Barclay $183,375 This grant will develop a system for beat officers to access information through a number of methods, such as computerized briefing stations, electronic mail, and beat inquiries. 97-IJ-CX-K006 Affordable Crime Mapping and Information-Sharing Technology for Community Police Officers City of New Orleans (Louisiana) Police Department Lieutenant Michael Pfeiffer $203,328 This award will be used to develop an affordable crime-mapping and information-sharing technology using touch-screen technology for beat officers and community members. 97-IJ-CX-K011 Algorithmic Image Matching: Police Technology Research and Development Project Santa Ana (California) Police Department Captain Paul M. Walters $250,041 This project will support the development of an Algorithm Image Matching (AIM) system to reduce the time required to search automated mug shot systems. AIM will provide the ability to search mug shot systems based on known facial features of a suspect. The system will be able to compare photographs, sketches, and video images. 97-IJ-CX-K007 Artificial Neural Network System for Classification of Offenders in Murder and Rape Cases Battelle Memorial Institute Jennifer Miles $310,000 This grant will develop software for the Washington State Attorney General's Office that can compare unknown murder and rape offenders and their method of operating to similar cases on file. 97-IJ-CX-K009 Automation of Local Police Functions New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services Jim Shea $409,035 This award will provide the expanded, real-time data base access software used by nearly half of New York State's law enforcement agencies, allowing officers to access and add incident and arrest data via laptop computer. Crime Analysis Extension Application Environmental Systems Research Institute John Perry $522,382 This award will be used to research, develop, and field test geographic information system-based crime analysis applications. The resulting tools will provide officers with a mapping and predictive modeling capability for proactive policing. 97-IJ-CX-K013 Demonstration of a Concealed Weapons Detection System Using Electromagnetic Resonances Akela, Inc. Alan Hunt $442,229 This project will develop a handheld concealed weapons detection system with potential to detect metal and plastic weapons beneath clothing. Development of a Neighborhood Problem-Solving System Abt Associates Inc. Marianne Beauregard $100,343 This award will develop a neighborhood problem- solving system for Hartford, Connecticut that will contain data bases of city agencies, demographic data, and other community information. 97-IJ-CX-K004 FALCON (Future Alert and Contact Network) City of Charlotte (North Carolina) Police Department Maureen Brown $234,980 This project will develop the Future Alert and Contact Network (FALCON) to predict community problems and allow the beat officer to be more proactive in community policing. 97-IJ-CX-K012 Internet Community Oriented Policing Tools Project City of Davis (California) Police Department Christian Sandvig $167,675 This award will use the Internet to develop community partnerships between law enforcement and students, parents, and teachers. The project will provide a two-way dialogue between police and citizens for problem solving and goal setting. 97-IJ-CX-K002 Largo Police Department Wireless Internet Project Largo (Florida) Police Department Sergeant Brian McKeon $56,150 This grant will implement a wireless remote data and voice communications system to link beat officers, investigators, and the community. Officers will use devices equipped with wireless cellular modems, keyboards, pen-based handwriting software, cellular voice communication, and Web- browsing software, creating a wireless intranet. 97-IJ-CX-K003 Metropolitan Nashville Police Department's Palm Top Project Metropolitan Nashville (Tennessee) Police Department Lieutenant Ken Peace $128,875 This project will create an onsite system for law enforcement officers to conduct up-to-date warrant, arrest history, and stolen vehicle checks; access mug shots; and complete reports onsite and online. Portable Concealed Weapon Detector Los Angeles County (California) Sheriff's Office Yu-Wen Chang $496,624 This research will develop the prototype of a handheld device to detect metal or plastic concealed weapons at a distance of up to 10 feet. 96-LB-VX-K008 Portable Voice-Command Translation System Integrated Wave Technologies, Inc. A. Robert Sabo $493,000 This project is designing and fabricating three voice response translator (VRT) modules that allow officers to identify a subject's language and translate the officers' questions and instructions into that language. 96-IJ-CX-K007 Pursuit Management Task Force Aerospace Corporation Donald Peterson $236,000 This multiagency task force studies operational practices and procedures, vehicle stopping technologies, legal and liability issues, policy and doctrine, training, and community acceptance to accelerate the introduction of safer and more effective methods of vehicle pursuit. 97-IJ-CX-K010 Seamless Mobile Law Enforcement Computer Network Virginia Department of State Police Captain John Furlough $348,362 This grant will develop an infrastructure in Virginia to seamlessly connect different cellular carriers for voice and data communications. The infrastructure will maximize the coverage area and minimize the cost of transmission. 97-IJ-CX-K008 Software Development for Intelligence Gathering Monroe County (Florida) Sheriff's Office Deputy Terry Armstrong $187,900 This award will develop software that will collect, classify, input, and analyze intelligence data collected by officers in the field that will be geographically indexed and digitally transmitted. 96-IJ-CX-A047 Vehicle Stopper Technology Evaluation Program U.S. Department of the Army Edward P. Scannell $250,000 This program establishes an alliance between the Army Research Laboratory and NIJ for the evaluation of Electric/Electromagnetic Vehicle Stopper technologies and concepts for lab evaluations. DNA Identification 96-DN-VX-0001 Development of Criteria for Model External DNA Proficiency University of Illinois, Chicago Joseph L. Peterson $250,000 This study investigates the feasibility of developing a blind external DNA proficiency testing program for public and private forensic science laboratories. 96-MU-VX-0020 Expansion of DNA Analysis Capabilities: Illinois State Police Forensic Sciences Command Illinois State Police, Springfield Susan Hart Johns $450,000 This multisite research project compares homicide clearance rates in different cities, analyzes the extent to which clearance rates can function as measures of police performance, and identifies strategies associated with higher clearance rates. 96-DN-VX-0002 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: Maryland Maryland Department of Public Safety Louis C. Portis $300,000 This program is implementing the convicted offender data base, validating protocols for STR/DNA analysis, and preparing for a transition to chemiluminescence for RFLP DNA analyses. Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program The awards below represent part of an ongoing NIJ effort to enhance the DNA analysis capabilities of crime laboratories across the country. The projects were selected under a competitive solicitation and peer reviewed by experts in DNA testing and laboratory operation. They include installing and upgrading lab equipment, development of simpler and faster methods of DNA typing, links to DNA databases, and training in DNA analysis. Under the second phase of the solicitation, additional awards will be made in fiscal year 1997, bringing the total funding for the effort to $11.4 million. 96-IJ-CX-0043 Development of a PCR Laboratory: Minnesota Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Terry Laber $249,000 96-IJ-CX-0028 Development of a Rapid, Immobilized Probe Assay for the Detection of mtDNA Variation Children's Hospital, Oakland Research Institute Kathleen H. Gonzalez $193,000 96-IJ-CX-0038 DNA Forensic Laboratory Enhancements: Maryland Anne Arundel County, MD Jane C. Cooke $50,000 96-IJ-CX-0090 DNA Identification Project: Montana Montana Department of Justice Bill Unger $150,000 96-IJ-CX-0051 DNA Offender Data Base Program: South Carolina South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Matthew G. Fitts $210,000 96-IJ-CX-0052 DNA STR Evaluation Project: Indiana Marion County, Indiana, Prosecutor James E. Hamby $151,000 96-IJ-CX-0059 Enhancement of Capability To Analyze DNA: Virginia Virginia Department of General Services, Division of Forensic Science Deanne Dabbs $375,000 96-IJ-CX-0048 Enhancement of DNA Testing Capabilities: Alaska Alaska Department of Public Safety, Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory George M. Taft $129,000 96-IJ-CX-0032 Enhancement of DNA Testing Capabilities: Arizona City of Tucson Walter Tannert $75,000 96-IJ-CX-0079 Enhancement of DNA Typing: Georgia Georgia Bureau of Investigation George Harrin $292,000 96-IJ-CX-0041 Enhancement of Serological Analysis to DNA Technologies: Kentucky Kentucky State Police Lonnie Moert $119,000 96-IJ-CX-0089 Enhancement of STR Capabilities in the New Jersey Forensic DNA Laboratory New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, Department of Law and Public Safety Margaret Tarver $126,000 96-IJ-CX-0055 Enhancement of STR Capabilities in the West Virginia State Police Crime Laboratory West Virginia Division of Public Safety Ted Smith $153,000 96-IJ-CX-0066 Enhancement of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Forensic DNA Capabilities Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Forensic Services Division William Darby $200,000 96-IJ-CX-0040 Expansion of DNA Laboratory Program: Missouri Missouri State Highway Patrol Lori Maloney $375,000 96-IJ-CX-0062 Expansion of DNA Services: North Carolina North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Mark Nelson $206,000 96-IJ-CX-0049 Expansion of the Felon DNA Data Bank Program: Alabama Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs John Hicks $375,000 96-IJ-CX-0094 Forensic DNA Enhancement Project: Arizona Arizona Department of Public Safety Susan Narveson $330,000 96-IJ-CX-0084 Forensic DNA Enhancement Project: Texas Texas Department of Public Safety, Narcotics Service J.R. Urbanovsky $400,000 96-IJ-CX-0095 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: Florida Florida Department of Law Enforcement Dale Heideman $450,000 96-IJ-CX-0061 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: Kansas Sedgwick County and Wichita Police Department Consortium Carrie May $324,000 96-IJ-CX-0039 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: New Mexico City of Albuquerque Ann Talbot $290,000 96-IJ-CX-0034 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State Police Christine Tomsey $375,000 96-IJ-CX-0054 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: Pittsburgh Allegheny County Department of Laboratories Charles Winek $151,000 96-IJ-CX-0033 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: South Dakota South Dakota Office of the Attorney General Rex Riis $60,000 96-IJ-CX-0076 Forensic DNA Laboratory Improvement Program: Vermont Vermont Department of Public Safety Eric Buel $74,000 96-IJ-CX-0096 Implementation of a PCR Program for the Scottsdale Police Crime Lab City of Scottsdale Allen Garrett $85,000 ----------------------------- The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. ----------------------------- NCJ 165586