Title: A Resource Guide to Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Forensic Technologies Series: Resource Guide Author: Office of Justice Programs and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Published: May 2001 Subject: police planning and management, funding resources, information systems 103 pages 199,000 bytes ------------------------------ Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from NCJRS at 800-851-3420 (877-712-9279 For TTY users). ------------------------------ A Resource Guide to Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Forensic Technologies Office of Justice Programs and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services May 2001 ------------------------------ U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20531 Office of Justice Programs World Wide Web Site http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov Community Oriented Policing Services World Wide Web Site http://www.usdoj.gov/cops The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Government. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, processes, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The information and statements contained in this document shall not be used for the purposes of advertising, nor to imply the endorsement or recommendation of the United States Government. This document is not intended to create, does not create, and may not be relied upon to create any rights, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any matter civil or criminal. NCJ 186822 ------------------------------ Message From the Attorney General The wave of technological advancement that has changed the lives of almost every individual, business, and institution in the Nation has also changed the world of criminal justice--from how we fight crime to how we manage law enforcement resources to the types of crimes we face. New technologies can help criminal justice agencies prevent crime, apprehend criminals, manage offender populations, and protect the public against the threat of terrorism. Because the pace of technological development is so staggering, it is difficult for State and local criminal justice administrators to stay abreast of all the new developments and have the information needed to make critical purchasing and deployment decisions. To aid criminal justice administrators in this effort, the Office of Justice Programs has developed this comprehensive directory of the Justice Department operational, research, and funding programs to help State and local agencies use technology to fight crime and improve public safety. This Guide seeks to provide helpful information to law enforcement, corrections, and forensic science professionals as they evaluate, acquire, and use equipment and technology. It is my hope that this tool will increase our effectiveness and reinforce our mission to enforce the law vigorously, guaranteeing rights for the advancement of all Americans. John Ashcroft Attorney General ------------------------------ Preface In 1984, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) was created to provide Federal leadership in developing the Nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist crime victims. OJP pursues its missions by forming partnerships with other Federal, State, and local agencies as well as national and community-based organizations to develop, operate, and evaluate a wide range of criminal and juvenile justice programs. OJP is dedicated to comprehensive approaches that empower communities to address crime, break the cycle of substance abuse and crime, combat family violence, address youth crime, hold offenders accountable, protect and support crime victims, enhance law enforcement initiatives, respond to terrorism, and support advancements in adjudication. OJP also works to reduce crime in Native-American communities, enhance technologies within the criminal and juvenile justice systems, and support State and local efforts through technical assistance and training. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) was authorized by Congress in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and began operations in October of that year. The primary goals of the COPS Office have been to promote community policing and to add at least 100,000 officers to the streets. The original commitment was to provide $8.8 billion over the period from 1994 to 2000. Community policing is an approach to crime prevention that promotes and supports organizational strategies to address the causes and reduce the fear of crime and social disorder through problem-solving tactics and community-police partnerships. This Guide has been created to provide a useful, focused picture of OJP and COPS Office activities in the field of law enforcement, corrections, and forensic science technology. The Guide is designed for local administrators who need a ready reference to help them make informed decisions when acquiring current and emerging technologies. Users of this Guide--including police chiefs, sheriffs, prison wardens, and members of city/county/State legislative or administrative bodies charged with overseeing law enforcement or corrections agencies--will find reliable, up-to-date information and sources for answers to a wide range of questions. To receive the maximum value from this Guide, the user will need to understand the basic organization of OJP and the COPS Office and their activities. Thus, the best sources of information, funding, partnerships, and other resources will be more accessible. OJP Offices and Bureaus are listed below. More detailed descriptions can be found in appendix A. OJP is composed of five Bureaus: o Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). o Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). o National Institute of Justice (NIJ). o Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). o Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). OJP also has six Program Offices: o Corrections Program Office (CPO). o Drug Courts Program Office (DCPO). o Executive Office for Weed and Seed (EOWS). o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS). o Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education (OPCLEE). o Violence Against Women Office (VAWO). Finally, OJP and COPS have a wide range of funding streams (see appendix C) that local agencies can use to acquire equipment, systems, and training to better meet their goals. Organization of the Guide The main part of this volume presents an overview of the technology areas of most concern to the law enforcement, corrections, and forensic science communities. It consists of 19 chapters arranged in 4 sections: Section I. Officer Protection and Crime Prevention. Chapters 1 through 8 cover protective equipment, restraint systems, firearms, less-than-lethal weapons, pursuit management, surveillance, offender monitoring/officer location, and concealed weapon and contraband detection. Section II. Public Safety in Critical Incidents. Chapters 9 through 11 cover explosives detection and remediation, chemical and biological defense, and transportation infrastructure security. Section III. Communications and Information Technology. Chapters 12 through 16 cover communications interoperability, biometric identification, information sharing and analysis, crime mapping, and electronic crime/cybercrime. Section IV. Investigative and Forensic Sciences. Chapters 17 through 19 cover crime laboratory assistance, forensic technology research and development, and investigative sciences. Each chapter includes a description of relevant technologies (equipment and devices, software, and related training) available to local law enforcement, corrections, and forensic science professionals and lists the following: o Potential Funding Sources. Describes Federal funding programs and local and private sources. For each of the Federal sources listed, the reader is referred to appendix C for details and contact information. o Standards and Testing. Lists any applicable standards that the technologies should meet to be considered safe or effective and any reports on testing done under these standards. This information can aid in deciding what equipment is appropriate for acquisition. o Research and Development Efforts. Describes the new technologies being developed. Local jurisdictions may be interested in becoming involved in testing prototypes, new systems, and approaches. o Sources of Further Information. Lists points of contact, publications and products, and Internet sites offering more detailed information. Four appendixes provide additional useful information: o Appendix A: Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Briefly describes the OJP Bureaus and Offices, their activities, and the programs each one administers. o Appendix B: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Provides a brief history of the COPS program. o Appendix C: Office of Justice Programs and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: Funding and Other Resources. Includes descriptions of each of OJP's funding programs; describes other non-OJP resources; provides contact information, including telephone numbers and Web site addresses; and lists other helpful resources, including training and technology assistance. o Appendix D: Abbreviations and Acronyms. Lists and defines the abbreviations and acronyms used throughout this Guide. How To Order Publications National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) publications may be requested by calling 800-248-2742; many of NLECTC's publications may also be downloaded from JUSTNET at www.nlectc.org. Publications listed with an NCJ number may be ordered from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) by calling 800-851-3420; some NCJRS publications may also be downloaded from the Justice Information Center at www.ncjrs.org. Publications and products of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) may be requested by calling 202-514-2058; many COPS resources may be downloaded from http://www.usdoj.gov/cops. How To Find Information at Internet Sites Because the content and organization of Web sites change fairly often, the addresses or URLs listed in this Guide will take users to the top-level home page of the site. In general, to find more specific information, users will have three options: (1) explore the site using the navigation buttons available on its home page; (2) search the site using its search engine (usually a link from or button on the home page); or (3) look through a site map (a page that lists all pages on the site). For example, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) home page is located at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs. Headings on the home page lead to statistics on various topics, a "what's new at BJS" page, and publications. However, for users who are not sure which heading will lead to the information they are seeking, BJS offers a search engine that looks through all the pages and publications on the site. In addition, a site map provides details of the pages available under each home page heading. --The Editors ------------------------------ Contents Message From the Attorney General Preface Section I. Officer Protection and Crime Prevention --1. Protective Equipment --2. Restraint Systems --3. Firearms --4. Less-Than-Lethal Weapons --5. Pursuit Management --6. Surveillance --7. Offender Monitoring/Officer Location --8. Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection Section II. Public Safety in Critical Incidents --9. Explosives Detection and Remediation --10. Chemical and Biological Defense --11. Transportation Infrastructure Security Section III. Communications and Information Technology --12. Communications Interoperability --13. Biometric Identification --14. Information Sharing and Analysis --15. Crime Mapping --16. Electronic Crime/Cybercrime Section IV. Investigative and Forensic Sciences --17. Crime Laboratory Assistance --18. Forensic Technology Research and Development --19. Investigative Sciences Appendix A. Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Appendix B. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Appendix C. Office of Justice Programs and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: Funding and Other Resources Appendix D. Abbreviations and Acronyms ------------------------------ Section I Officer Protection and Crime Prevention The primary concern of the law enforcement and corrections communities is the protection of both their officers and the public. A number of products that can physically protect officers are available or are being researched (see chapter 1). Restraining suspects and prisoners (chapter 2) also prevents dangerous situations from developing. When needed, firearms (chapter 3) are essential to officer safety--work has been and is being done to make officers' weapons as safe and reliable as possible. In most confrontations with unruly or uncooperative suspects, a law enforcement or corrections officer needs alternatives to deadly force to subdue or capture the individuals or to otherwise control the situation and thus reduce the risk of harm to suspects and innocent bystanders (chapter 4). The same concerns that led to the development of less-than-lethal weapons have produced alternative means of managing high-speed car/vehicle pursuits (chapter 5). A variety of surveillance technologies (chapter 6) can be useful in the prevention and/or early detection of unlawful behavior. Location technologies allow the criminal justice system to monitor and, if needed, manage the behavior of offenders, and similar devices can be used to track officers and ensure their safety in potentially dangerous situations (chapter 7). The systems used to detect concealed weapons and contraband provide an extra margin of safety, and new types of detection devices are being developed (see chapter 8). 1. Protective Equipment Officer protection is greatly enhanced with such products as ballistic helmets and visors, ballistic- and stab-resistant body armor, stab- and pathogen-resistant gloves, riot shields, and other items. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Excess Defense Personal Property for Law Enforcement Activities (1033 Program) (National Institute of Justice and Department of Defense). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o State and Local Law Enforcement Equipment Procurement Program (1122 Program) (Bureau of Justice Assistance). Outside Sources of Funding: Several States (including Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina) provide either complete or partial funding to agencies to purchase body armor. The National "We Care" Foundation is a nonprofit organization that assists police officers who are required to purchase their own body armor but cannot afford to do so. For more information, call 972-492-4189. Through the National Rifle Association (NRA), selected body armor manufacturers offer discounts on their products to law enforcement officers who are NRA members. For more information, call 703-267-1628, or access the Internet site at www.nrahq.org/safety/law. Standards and Testing o Ballistic resistance. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has developed performance standards for ballistic-resistant body armor and sponsors a voluntary compliance testing program administered by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC). The Police Body Armor Consumer Product List contains a comprehensive listing, by manufacturer and threat level, of models of body armor that have been tested by NLECTC and have been found to comply with Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor: NIJ Standard-0101.03. NIJ Standard-0101.03 has been in effect since 1987. A revised standard, 0101.04, updating some testing procedures and the ammunition used in the testing, was published in September 2000. Testing under this new standard was begun in October 2000. Ballistic Resistant Protective Materials: NIJ Standard-0108.01, September 1985, covers ballistic-resistant materials found in shields, vehicle armor, and transparent materials. An update to this standard is planned in 2001. o Gloves. Comparative Evaluation of Protective Gloves for Law Enforcement and Corrections Applications: NIJ Test Protocol 99-114, June 1999, covers puncture-, slash-, and pathogen-resistant gloves that provide protection from the dangers of needles, knives, and other sharp objects as well as bloodborne pathogens/body fluids. Testing under this standard was begun in August 2000. o Helmets. Ballistic Helmets: NIJ Standard-0106.01, December 1981 (in the process of being revised) covers the quality and reliability of bullet-resistant ballistic helmets. Riot helmets and face shields are covered by NIJ Standard-0104.02. An update to this standard is planned in 2001. o Stab- and puncture-resistant armor. Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor: NIJ Standard-0115.01, effective September 2000, establishes the minimum performance requirements and test methods for the stab resistance of personal body armor intended to protect the torso against slash and stab threats. This standard is based on technical work performed by many organizations including the United Kingdom's Police Scientific Development Branch and the U.S. Secret Service. Testing under this standard began in October 2000. Research and Development Efforts No research and development efforts are currently being pursued in this area. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Corrections Program Office: 800-848-6325 or askojp@ojp.usdoj.gov. o Joint Program Steering Group: 703-351-8719. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o Ballistic Helmets: NIJ Standard-0106.01. December 1981. o Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor: NIJ Standard-0101.04. September 2000. o Ballistic Resistant Protective Materials: NIJ Standard-0108.01. September 1985. o Bureau of Justice Assistance Fact Sheet: The Bulletproof Vest Partnership. 1999. o Choose To Survive: A Guide to Standards and Tests for Ballistic-Resistant Vest Performance and Reliability. NIJ pamphlet, 1997. o Comparative Evaluation of Protective Gloves for Law Enforcement and Corrections Applications: NIJ Test Protocol 99-114. June 1999. o Guide for the Selection of Commercial Explosives Detection Systems for Law Enforcement Applications. NIJ Guide 100-99. NCJ 178913, September 1999. o Police Body Armor Consumer Product List. NIJ, 1999 (updated regularly). Available online only. Download from JUSTNET at www.nlectc.org. o Riot Helmets and Face Shields: NIJ Standard-0104.02. 1984. o Selection and Application Guide to Police Body Armor: NIJ Guide 100- 98. October 1998. o Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor: NIJ Standard-0115.01. September 2000. o "Taking the Stab Out of Stabbings." TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 2000. o Test Protocol for Comparative Evaluation of Protective Gloves for Law Enforcement and Corrections Applications: NIJ Test Protocol 99-114. June 1999. Internet: o Bulletproof Vest Partnership, Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.vests.ojp.gov. o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Corrections Program Office: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo. o Department of Defense: www.defenselink.mil. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. o U.S. Secret Service: www.treas.gov/usss. 2. Restraint Systems A variety of approaches are used to restrain prisoners in differing situations, including metal handcuffs and ankle shackles (and combinations of the two), nonmetallic handcuffs, belt/handcuff combinations, and belts with built-in stun technology. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing o Metallic Handcuffs: NIJ Standard-0307.01. 1982. Specifies requirements for user information, markings, workmanship, weight, dimensions, mechanical strength, salt spray corrosion resistance, and cheek-plate tamper resistance. National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-National and the Office of Law Enforcement Standards are working to revise the existing voluntary minimum performance standard for metallic handcuffs. Research and Development Efforts No research and development projects are currently being pursued in this area. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Corrections Program Office: 800-848-6325 or askojp@ojp.usdoj.gov. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o Metallic Handcuffs Consumer Product List. 6th Edition (Revised), September 1998. Lists handcuff models that comply with NIJ Standard- 0307.01. o Metallic Handcuffs: NIJ Standard-0307.01. 1982. o "New Position on Positional Asphyxia." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1998. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Corrections Program Office: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. 3. Firearms As one means to neutralize lethal threats, law enforcement officers carry firearms as standard equipment. Also, firearms are employed in limited situations in correctional settings. Officers count on the reliability of their firearms (primarily autoloading pistols and shotguns) as well as their ammunition and holsters to perform when called into use. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing o Autoloading Pistols for Police Officers: NIJ Standard-0112.03. 1998. This standard establishes performance requirements and test methods for pistols to be used by law enforcement officers. It supersedes NIJ Standard- 0112.02 (1995) and addresses new pistol designs, calibers, revised procedures for verifying head space, and general revision of the testing procedures. Revision A of NIJ Standard-0112.03, issued in July 1999, clarifies procedures for test methods found in section 5 and incorporates data collection and revised reporting requirements. o 12-Gauge Shotguns for Police Use: NIJ Standard-0113.00. March 1989. This standard establishes criteria and test methods for shotguns to be used by law enforcement officers. It addresses 12-gauge shotguns only. Although the standard is intended for new weapons, it may also be used to assess the acceptability of shotguns that have been reconditioned for reissue. Included are dimensional, functional, and firing requirements, along with safety features. This standard does not address accuracy or sights. o National Institute of Standards and Technology Interagency Report (NISTIR) 5109, Test Procedure for Handgun Accuracy. 1993. This applies to measuring the accuracy of revolvers and autoloading pistols that employ Partridge-type sights with either fixed or adjustable rear sights. Research and Development Efforts o Smart gun technology. This technology, which allows a weapon to be fired only by a recognized, authorized user, is being actively investigated by a number of companies with the support and/or cooperation of the National Institute of Justice. In addition, a set of standards for several "security" retention levels for holsters is currently being developed. o Weapons Team Engagement Trainer (WTET). The WTET interactive team trainer simulates hostage rescue, use of force, and room-clearing scenarios. The scenarios are played on large screens, and trainees provide realistic aggressor response, branching, and shootback. The WTET simulation was originally developed by the military for use by special forces teams. The first production version of the system is being installed and tested at the Laser Village training site of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o "As Real As It Gets." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1999. o Equipment Performance Report: 1999 Autoloading Pistols. May 2000. o "Making Guns Smart: The Next Step." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 1999. o NLECTC Tests Autoloading Pistols for Law Enforcement Use. Equipment Performance Bulletin, January 2000. (Includes text of Revision A of Autoloading Pistols for Police Officers: NIJ Standard-0112.03.) o Smart Gun Technology Project Final Report, Sandia National Laboratories for the National Institute of Justice (SAND96-1131), May 1996. o .38-/.357-Caliber Revolvers: NIJ Standard-0109.00. 1983. o 12-Gauge Shotguns for Police Use: NIJ Standard-0113.00. 1989. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o National Institute of Standards and Technology: www.nist.gov. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. 4. Less-Than-Lethal Weapons Many tools have been developed over the years to help officers control or arrest individuals without having to use deadly force. Such tools include a variety of batons or nightsticks, rubber bullet/beanbag projectiles, and various chemical agents (such as pepper spray and tear gas) and can play a vital role in effectively resolving critical incidents (see section II). Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing o Barrier-Penetrating Tear Gas Munitions: NIJ Standard-0111.00. 1985. Establishes minimum performance requirements and test methods, including safety and handling aspects, for barrier-penetrating tear gas (less-than-lethal) munitions. Scope is limited to such munitions incorporating ortho-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile or alpha-chloroacetophenone as the active agent, regardless of the means of disseminating the tear gas. o Handheld Aerosol Tear Gas Weapons: NIJ Standard-0110.00. 1985. Establishes minimum performance requirements and test methods, including safety and handling aspects, for handheld aerosol tear gas (less-than-lethal) weapons used by law enforcement agencies. Scope is limited to such weapons incorporating ortho-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile or alpha-chloroacetophenone as the active agent sprayed from an aerosol dispenser. Research and Development Efforts Ongoing projects are taking a new look at or investigating the following technologies: o Laser dazzler. Through the Joint Program Steering Group, the National Institute of Justice and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funded a project to develop a handheld device that uses random, flashing, green laser light to disorient and distract a subject. o Disabling net and launcher system. This system employs a nonlethal, launchable net that fits a conventional weapons system and will safely ensnare attacking or fleeing subjects. o Physiological responses to energetic stimuli. A number of projects are exploring the possible uses of various technologies to produce temporary physiological responses, such as nausea, dizziness, and disorientation. One such technology uses pulsed light to produce disorientation and impaired vision in an adversary. o Ring airfoil projectile. This doughnut-shaped, rubber projectile, originally developed by the U.S. military, is used to deter a single individual at a standoff range by producing a sting when it strikes. o Sticky shocker. A low-impact, wireless projectile is fired from compressed gas or powder launchers that stick to the target with a gluelike substance or with short, clothing-attachment barbs. Once attached, the device delivers a small, but disabling, electrical shock. Development is complete; health assessment is under way. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Corrections Program Office: 800-848-6325 or askojp@ojp.usdoj.gov. o Department of Justice Response Center: 800-421-6770 or 202-307-1480. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o Barrier-Penetrating Tear Gas Munitions: NIJ Standard-0111.00. 1985. o Handheld Aerosol Tear Gas Weapons: NIJ Standard-0110.00. 1985. o "How 'Less' Is Less Than Lethal?" TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 2000. o "NIJ Initiates Prison Riot." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o Oleoresin Capsicum: Pepper Spray as a Force Alternative. NLECTC (NCJ 181655), March 1994. o "Out of Retirement, Into Training." TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 1999. o Preliminary Investigation of Oleoresin Capsicum: NIJ Report 100-95. April 1995. o "Product Evaluations: Myotron 'Checkmate.' " TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Corrections Program Office: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo. o Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency: www.darpa.mil. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/scencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. 5. Pursuit Management Most currently available pursuit management devices involve deflation of a vehicle's tires and are typically designed to be carried in the trunk of a patrol car and deployed in advance as the fleeing vehicle approaches. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing o Vehicle Tracking Devices: NIJ Standard-0223.00. 1986. This standard establishes performance requirements and test methods for vehicle tracking devices and systems. It addresses all parts of a vehicle tracking system except for the receiving antenna, and applies to vehicle tracking devices or systems that do not have special features, such as audio alert tones or variable bandwidth receivers, or in which such special features are bypassed or disabled during testing for compliance with this standard. Research and Development Efforts o Among the technologies being explored by the National Institute of Justice's Office of Science and Technology are a number of electric and electromagnetic vehicle-stopping concepts, a fleeing vehicle tagging system, a device for communicating with a fleeing driver through a car's radio, enhanced police sirens, vehicle barriers, a variation of the spiked barrier strip, deployable nets, and a portable-deployable tire shredder. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-West: 888-548-1618. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: 888-306- 5382 or oletc@nttc.edu. Publications and Products: o "Catch of the Day." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o "Dangerous Drivers in 3D." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 1999. o Equipment Performance Report: Effectiveness of Tire Deflation Devices Against Self-Healing and Run-Flat Tires. NLECTC (NCJ 184431), 2000. This report is distributed to law enforcement officials in hard copy only. o Equipment Performance Report: Vehicle Tracking Devices. NLECTC (NCJ 117430), 1990. o Guide to Test Methods, Performance Requirements, and Installation Practices for Electronic Sirens Used on Law Enforcement Vehicles: NIJ Guide 500-00. Forthcoming. o Helicopters in Pursuit Operations. NIJ Research in Action (NCJ 171695), August 1998. o High-Speed Pursuit: New Technologies Around the Corner. NLECTC Bulletin, October 1996. o Pursuit Management Task Force. NIJ Research Preview (FS 000225), August 1998. o Pursuit Management Task Force Report. NLECTC-West (NCJ 172200), September 1998. o Vehicle Tracking Devices: NIJ Standard-0223.00. 1986. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. 6. Surveillance Surveillance devices allow law enforcement and corrections officers to watch (and thus safeguard) particular locations remotely. Such devices permit officers to observe or find individuals who otherwise might not be visible because of obstructions or darkness. Current technologies include closed-circuit television security systems, a variety of night vision devices using infrared and available light sources, and through-the-wall surveillance devices. The latter have great potential in effectively resolving critical incidents (section II), such as hostage taking. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) Incentive Grants Program (Corrections Program Office). Standards and Testing o Miniature Surveillance Recorders: NIJ Standard-0225.00. January 1990. This standard establishes performance requirements and methods to test for miniature recording devices and systems for use in undercover surveillance. A system includes the recording device and its power supply, a separate microphone, and a playback unit. Except for this microphone, all parts of the miniature surveillance recording system are addressed by this standard. The recording device and playback unit may be combined or separate. This standard places requirements on the output from the playback unit only, as this characteristic is most critical to the effectiveness of the system. o Standards for first-generation night vision devices exist but are dated and are not applicable to current night vision technology. Research and Development Efforts State and local law enforcement and corrections communities have identified as one of their key needs technology that will allow them to "see" through building walls to locate and track concealed or hidden individuals. Another ongoing need is for night vision devices that will allow officers to detect the heat or infrared radiation emitted by objects, especially people, even in total darkness. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is funding the development of a portable, briefcase-sized, through-the-wall surveillance device that is a modification of a commercially available motion detector and military ranging system as well as a handheld, through-the-wall surveillance device known as the radar flashlight. Other areas of research are the Advanced Vehicle Interrogation and Notification (AVIAN) system, night vision/infrared technologies, speech enhancement units, speaker identification technology, voice stress analysis technology evaluation, a kit of investigators' tools, and improved closed-circuit television surveillance. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o The Appropriate and Effective Use of Security Technology in Schools. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 178265), September 1999. o "Caught in the Act." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1999. o "Keeping an Eye on Crime." TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 1999. o Miniature Surveillance Recorders: NIJ Standard-0225.00. January 1990. o "Night Vision Goggles." TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 2000. o Scoping Out Night Vision. NIJ Bulletin, March 1996. o "Tiger Vision: Linking Invention With Industry." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 1999. o "Thermal Imaging Turns Up the Heat." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 2001. o "Thermal Imaging and the Fourth." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 2001. o Video Surveillance Equipment Selection and Application Guide: NIJ Guide 201-99 (prepared by the Office of Law Enforcement Standards). October 1999. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Corrections Program Office: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. 7. Offender Monitoring/Officer Location In many jurisdictions throughout the country, the location of persons on probation, parole, or pretrial release can be monitored electronically, typically through home-based systems tied into a phone line. This technology helps minimize the use of court or police officers by permitting the monitoring agency to know when the subject wearing a monitoring device is at home or when he or she has left and returned. Related technologies, however, can come into play when used for officer safety/location, especially in correctional facilities. These technologies allow an officer to transmit a call for help to a central location where his or her location can be pinpointed and assistance can be dispatched. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) Incentive Grants Program (Corrections Program Office). Standards and Testing No standards currently exist for location and tracking equipment. Research and Development Efforts The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is working to improve existing electronic technology by exploring tracking technology advances made in other fields for their potential application in tracking and monitoring individuals on a full-time basis. NIJ is funding the research and development of technology for monitoring staff status and location in a correctional environment. Highly reliable systems that can precisely locate staff are required for correctional staff protection. The NIJ program will evaluate and demonstrate wireless personal alarm monitoring (PAM) systems. Also, the program will identify technology that may be available commercially to meet the needs of the corrections community for a reliable, affordable, easy-to-install personal alarm monitoring system that will be easy to maintain. A solicitation will be issued for proposals from vendors with commercially available PAM systems. An evaluation of systems will be conducted by the Space and Naval Warfare Center, Charleston, South Carolina, and a system or systems will be selected for demonstration in an occupied Federal Bureau of Prisons facility or U.S. Navy correctional facility. The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), with NIJ funding and the cooperation of the Council of State Governments, is developing a process to enhance the acceptance, use, and effectiveness of electronic monitoring through research, testing, education, and training. APPA and NIJ are working to develop and deliver information on electronic monitoring tools, procedures for testing equipment capabilities and specifications, potential applications for current technology, and data elements for the future evaluation of equipment uses. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Corrections Program Office: 800-848-6325 or askojp@ojp.usdoj.gov. o Department of Justice Response Center: 800-421-6770 or 202-307-1480. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. Publications and Products: o "Horse Farm Detention Center." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 2000. o "Keeping Bad Guys Behind Bars." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 2000. o Keeping Track of Electronic Monitoring. NLECTC Bulletin, October 1999. o "Keeping Track of Electronic Monitoring." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 1999. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Corrections Program Office: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. 8. Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection Contraband detection systems allow agencies and officers to detect and diffuse potential threats. Research and development efforts are under way on systems that detect a variety of contraband, from drugs to human beings to concealed weapons. Because concealed weapons--principally handguns and edged weapons--pose a potentially lethal threat to law enforcement and corrections personnel, a number of research projects are focused on their detection. Current detection systems include portal-type metal detectors (as encountered in airports and many office buildings) and metal-detecting wands. Despite limitations--e.g., limited range, high false-alarm rates, obtrusiveness--these devices have provided a certain margin of safety in areas such as prison visitor areas, government offices, courts, and schools. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing o Color Test Reagents/Kits for Preliminary Identification of Drugs of Abuse: NIJ Standard-0604.01. August 2000. Establishes minimum requirements for color test reagents/kits to detect drugs of abuse and methods of testing the reagents to determine compliance with those requirements. o Hand-Held Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection: NIJ Standard-0602.01. September 2000. Establishes performance requirements and method of test for active handheld metal detectors used to find metal weapons and/or metal contraband carried by a person and/or concealed by a nonmetal object. o Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection: NIJ Standard-0601.01. September 2000. Establishes performance requirements and methods of testing for active walk-through metal detectors used to find metal weapons and/or metal contraband carried on a person and/or concealed by a nonmetal object. Research and Development Efforts NIJ, working with the Joint Program Steering Group, has initiated a program to develop safe, affordable, and, to the extent possible, inconspicuous systems that can detect weapons of all types and composition from a distance of at least 30 feet. Initial research efforts are focused on developing stationary devices, much like the metal detectors found in airports. Other current initiatives in this field involve the exploration and development of various technologies, including portable millimeter wave (MMW) radar, handheld wideband radar, a passive MMW camera, electromagnetic portal, a handheld acoustic system, a vehicle-mounted metal weapons detector, a body cavity screening system using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), modified off-the-shelf back-scatter x-ray imaging, and an MMW/infrared sensor. Some research and development funding has been supplied by the COPS Office. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: 800-688-4252. o Corrections Program Office: 800-848-6325 or askojp@ojp.usdoj.gov. o Joint Program Steering Group: 703-351-8719. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- Northeast: 888-338-0584. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-West: 888-548-1618. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: 202-305- 9887. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o The Appropriate and Effective Use of Security Technology in Schools. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 178265), September 1999. o "An Attraction for Weapons." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1999. o Color Test Reagents/Kits for Preliminary Identification of Drugs of Abuse: NIJ Standard-0604.01. August 2000. o "Drug Testing in Criminal Justice: Evolving Uses, Emerging Technologies." NIJ Journal, Issue 234, December 1997. o Guide for the Selection of Commercial Drug Detectors for Law Enforcement Applications: NIJ Guide 601-99 (NCJ 171133). September 1998. o Guide for the Selection of Drug Detectors for Law Enforcement Applications: NIJ Guide 601-00. August 2000. o Guide to the Technologies of Concealed Weapons and Contraband Imaging and Detection. NIJ Report 602-00. February 2001. o Hand-Held Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection: NIJ Standard-0602.01. September 2000. o Hands-Off Frisking: High-Tech Concealed Weapons Detection. June 1996. o "Hide and Seek." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1999. o "Innovations in Concealed Weapons Detection Technology." TechBeat, NLECTC, October 1997. o "Looking Through Walls." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 2000. o "Product Alert! Physical Analysis of DKL LifeGuardĒ Device." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1999. o "Product Evaluations: DKL LifeGuard." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o "Technology Transfer From Defense: Concealed Weapon Detections." NIJ Journal, Issue 229, August 1995. o User's Guide for Hand-Held and Walk-Through Metal Detectors: NIJ Guide 600-00. Forthcoming. o Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection: NIJ Standard-0601.01. September 2000. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Corrections Program Office: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. ------------------------------ Section II Public Safety in Critical Incidents Critical incidents are those that pose a significant risk to public safety and require a multidisciplinary response from the public safety community. Critical incidents include natural disasters, industrial accidents, transportation incidents (such as train derailments and plane crashes), and school security and terrorist incidents. Critical incidents also include more common events, such as building fires and highway traffic incidents. Developing technology for public safety in critical incident response is inherently an interagency process. In the example of through-the-wall surveillance technology (see section I of this Guide), the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is collaborating with a number of other agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The ability to communicate and exchange information among different agencies responding to critical incidents--e.g., fire, emergency medical services, HAZMAT, and law enforcement--is crucial to effective response (see also section III, chapter 12, Communications Interoperability). Terrorism is a type of criminal activity that is of enormous concern. The potentially devastating consequences of terrorist acts involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) could affect the entire Nation. Since 1996, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and its partners have worked together to develop the Nation's ability to deal with terrorism. Pursuant to the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (Public Law 104- 132), OJP's initial efforts focused on addressing the unmet technology needs of first responders at the State and local levels, including setting the standards needed to develop and test those technologies. In 1997, NIJ funded the Inventory of State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs To Combat Terrorism, which involved interviews and group discussions with 195 representatives from 138 agencies from all 50 States and the District of Columbia. (More information on the inventory can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/173384.htm.) Based on the inventory, NIJ has crafted its Critical Incident Response/Counterterrorism Technologies Program into a comprehensive effort focused on addressing the unique technology needs of the entire first-responder community. The program is advocating the needs identified in relevant forums, including the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), National Domestic Preparedness Office (NDPO), and Weapons of Mass Destruction Working Group. In 1998, OJP created the Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS) to assist State and local response agencies throughout the United States in preparing for incidents of domestic terrorism. OSLDPS offers assistance to emergency response agencies through financial aid for purchasing equipment, training for emergency response personnel, support in making critical decisions, and exercise support that enables State and local response planning and procedures. The efforts of OJP in counterterrorism and domestic preparedness are closely coordinated with NDPO, a publicly accessible interagency office that assists first responders by serving as the single office for the coordination of the Federal programs involving domestic preparedness. NDPO consists of representatives from the Department of Justice (OSLDPS and Federal Bureau of Investigation), Department of Defense (DoD), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Guard Bureau, and State and local representatives. NIJ has established two congressionally mandated counterterrorism research institutes, the Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation and the Dartmouth Institute for Security Studies (at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering); both receive funding from NIJ, and their work is being coordinated with that of OSLDPS and NDPO. In this section, we examine technologies related to detecting and disposing of explosives (chapter 9), responding to the threat of chemical and biological attacks (chapter 10), and assessing threats to the security of our transportation infrastructure (chapter 11). Less-than-lethal weapons and through-the-wall surveillance are useful technologies in hostage rescue situations. They are discussed in chapters 4 and 6, respectively. Communications interoperability, which is essential to critical incident response, is discussed in chapter 12. 9. Explosives Detection and Remediation Currently available approaches for the detection and remediation of explosives involve diagnostics, containment/disruption (including robotically retrieving and disarming devices), and simulation/training. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Municipal Fire and Emergency Management Services (EMS) Equipment and Training Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o State Domestic Preparedness Equipment Support Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). Standards and Testing o NIJ Standard-0603.00: X-ray Systems for Bomb Disarmament. 1975. (This publication is currently being updated.) Research and Development Efforts o Bomb robot. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), through the Joint (Justice-Defense) Program Steering Group (JPSG), in collaboration with the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), has completed a nationwide assessment of practitioner requirements for bomb robots. A final draft report has been written and submitted for review. A solicitation for development of improved bomb robotics was released (through TSWG) in February 2001, with development commencing later in fiscal year 2001. o Bomb technician data retrieval tool. In the information area, NIJ funded the development of a PC-based data retrieval tool for bomb technicians. The tool provides unprecedented access to vital bomb data for State and local bomb technicians, transferring the 20,000 pages of print, drawings, photographs, and charts contained in 30 years of bomb technical bulletins published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to 3 CDs. Coupled with search software, this technology will provide bomb technicians with immediate access to critical information at the site of a bomb response call. It is being distributed through the FBI's Bomb Data Center. o Bomb technician training tool. NIJ has funded the Indian Head Division of the naval Surface Warfare Center to develop an interactive, computer-based training tool for bomb technicians, which is packaged on a CD-ROM. This tool provides individual instructions and is intended to furnish refresher training on the course of study taught at the bomb technician's basic course at the Hazardous Devices School. Development is complete, and the FBI Bomb Data Center will distribute copies to all bomb squads in the United States. o Bomb threat training simulator (BTTS). The BTTS, developed under an NIJ grant, will help train law enforcement personnel and others in bomb threat assessment. BTTS is a computer-based, interactive, multimedia simulator on a CD-ROM that enables law enforcement or security officers to develop their first-on-the-scene bomb threat response skills and supplement conventional classroom instruction. NIJ anticipates availability in June 2001. o Containment devices for small bombs. NIJ is sponsoring this project to demonstrate and evaluate a low-cost, lightweight, easily transportable, fully enclosed, blast-resistant container for transporting pipe bombs containing up to 1 pound of smokeless powder. o Flying plate disrupter. NIJ is supporting the development and demonstration of a disrupter that will be effective against large improvised explosive devices (IEDs), such as the 55-gallon fuel-fertilizer bombs used at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was demonstrated with the Kansas-Missouri Bomb Technician Working Group during FY 2000. Recommendations arising from that demonstration will be incorporated into a revised design in 2001. o Hazardous Access Training (HAT) Kit. This training device consists of seven modules that each represent a different bomb threat scenario, including a passive infrared, a photocell, a countdown timer, a tripwire, a vibration sensor, a command initiated with a remote switch, and a multiple command initiate. The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC) has assisted TSWG and Engineering Technology, Inc., in producing and marketing the commercial version of this modular universal training device (called the HAT Kit, Black Widow System). All domestic and international non-Federal sales will be coordinated with the FBI Bomb Data Center, which will maintain records of all sales. o X-ray bomb diagnostic system assessment. NIJ, in collaboration with the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) and the FBI, is sponsoring a nationwide demonstration and evaluation, by 50 agencies, of improved diagnostic systems for explosive devices. RTR-3, the first technology being evaluated, is a computer-based, portable x-ray system developed under TSWG auspices for the diagnosis of explosive devices in real time. The system also allows for the transmission of x-ray images via modem to remote experts for analysis. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Federal Bureau of Investigation Bomb Data Center: 202-324-2696 or bdc@fbi.gov. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Rocky Mountain: 800-416-8086. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: 202-305- 9887. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: 888-306- 5382 or oletc@nttc.edu. Publications and Products: o The Appropriate and Effective Use of Security Technology in Schools. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 178265), September 1999. o "Big Bangs in Riverside." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 2000. o Inventory of State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs To Combat Terrorism. NIJ Research in Brief (NCJ 173384), 1998. o Survey of Commercially Available Explosives Detection Technologies and Equipment, by David W. Hannum and John E. Parmeter (Sandia National Laboratories). Rockville, MD: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NCJ 171133), September 1998. o Domestic Preparedness Stakeholders Forum. OSLDPS. 1998. o TOPOFF Planning Forum. OSLDPS. 1999. o X-ray Systems for Bomb Disarmament: NIJ Standard-0603.00. 1975. o The following OSLDPS training videos can be obtained by writing to VIDEO REQUEST Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20531 -- Surviving the Secondary Device--The Rules Have Changed. -- Surviving Weapons of Mass Destruction. -- Weapons of Mass Destruction--The First Responder. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Federal Bureau of Investigation Bomb Data Center: www.fbi.gov/programs/lab/org/1997bombrep.pdf. o Institute for Security Technology Studies, Dartmouth College: www.ists.dartmouth.edu. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: www.oletc.org. o Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism: www.mipt.org. 10. Chemical and Biological Defense Technologies are needed that will better help law enforcement identify an attack by terrorists using chemical or biological weapons and survive that attack. In collaboration with the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), NIJ is also developing a low-cost, wearable personal alarm to alert first responders to the presence of toxic chemical and biological agents--one of the highest priority practitioner needs identified in NIJ's 1997 nationwide inventory of State and local law enforcement technology needs to combat terrorism. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Municipal Fire and EMS Equipment and Training Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o State Domestic Preparedness Equipment Support Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). Standards and Testing NIJ, through the Office of Law Enforcement Standards at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (OLES/NIST), is taking the lead in putting together a set of common standards for the development and assessment of first-responder equipment. This effort is being undertaken within the context of the DOJ-DoD Interagency Board. The agencies expected to enter this agreement include OLES/NIST, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. NIJ, through OLES/NIST and with the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), is surveying and documenting available chemical and biological defense equipment. This will result in publication of user guidelines for personal protection, detection, and decontamination equipment. Data will include cost, equipment parameters, current users, existing test data, and ordering information. Research and Development Efforts o First responder escape mask. NIJ, through the Joint Program Steering Group (JPSG), is collaborating with TSWG to develop a short-duration protective mask that will protect first responders for enough time to exit the hazardous area, alert appropriate officials, and prevent others from entering the contaminated area. The mask must be lightweight, low-cost, and configured to be easily carried and quickly donned. It is intended for use in situations where there is little or no warning. Concurrently, NIJ, through its Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC), is completing an assessment of practitioner requirements, the results of which will be incorporated into efforts resulting from this solicitation. o Lightweight chem-bio EOD suit testing. NIJ, through JPSG, is sponsoring independent testing of the Med-Eng SRS-5 bomb suit coupled with various chemical and biological (C/B) protective undergarments and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The testing will be managed by the TSWG. The purpose of this testing is to determine the effectiveness of this C/B protective ensemble in providing C/B protection when subject to detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED). o Personal alarm monitor. One of the identified needs in The Inventory of State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs To Combat Terrorism was for a wearable device providing indication of exposure to a wide variety of chemical and biological hazards. As a result, NIJ, in collaboration with TSWG, is sponsoring development and demonstration of a wearable, low-cost device that provides warning of exposure to hazardous chemical and biological agents in sufficient time for the wearer to take protective measures. o Threat assessment. NIJ, through JPSG, is funding a first of its kind study to define the chemical and biological agents that first responders are most likely to encounter and that terrorists are most likely to use. This study is unique because it includes both a historical analysis of chemical and biological incidents and a scientific assessment of the physical properties of chemical and biological agents to determine the true threat they pose. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: 202-305- 9887. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: 888-306- 5382 or oletc@nttc.edu. Publications and Products: o Guide for the Selection of Chemical Agent and Toxic Industrial Material Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders, NIJ Guide 100-00, Volume I. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 184449), October 2000. o Guide for the Selection of Chemical Agent and Toxic Industrial Material Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders, NIJ Guide 100-00, Volume II. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 184450), October 2000. o Inventory of State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs To Combat Terrorism. NIJ Research in Brief (NCJ 173384), 1998. o Protective Intelligence and Threat Assessment Investigations: A Guide for State and Local Law Enforcement Officials. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 170612), July 1998. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Institute for Security Technology Studies, Dartmouth College: www.ists.dartmouth.edu. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.htm. o National Institute of Standards and Technology: www.nist.gov. o Occupational Safety and Health Administration: www.osha.gov. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: www.oletc.org. o Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism: www.mipt.org. 11. Transportation Infrastructure Security Severe damage to or destruction of the critical national transportation infrastructures would dramatically affect the defense, economic security, and public welfare of the United States. There are 4 million miles of public roads on which 20 million trucks travel, 100,000 miles of railroad track carrying 1.2 million operating freight cars, and 6,000 transit entities that operate rapid transit rail and bus services. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Municipal Fire and EMS Equipment and Training Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o State Domestic Preparedness Equipment Support Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). Standards and Testing No standards currently exist for technologies designed to protect the transportation infrastructure. Research and Development Efforts o Mass transit protection sensor technology. NIJ, through JPSG, is collaborating with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Department of Energy to demonstrate the utility of a chemical detection monitor in a subway environment. The intent of the project is to develop a capability for protection against a chemical weapons attack through the installation of a prototype real-time early warning chemical detection and alarm system. This 3-year effort was initiated in September 1999. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Joint Program Steering Group: 703-351-8719. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- Southeast: 800-292-4385. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: 202-305- 9887. Publications and Products: o Land Transportation Security Technology--An Improved Response for a Changing Threat. A video funded by the National Institute of Justice/Joint Program Steering Group and produced by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- Southeast. NLECTC-National, 1999. o "Protecting Public Transportation From Terrorists." NIJ Journal, Issue 235, March 1998. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Department of Energy: www.doe.gov. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.htm. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------------ Section III Communications and Information Technology In recent years, a tremendous amount of information has become available to law enforcement and corrections agencies that could be helpful in managing resources and solving crimes. Information technology (IT) can be applied to connect law enforcement and corrections agencies to one another, thus enabling them to share information. IT can sort, collate, and relate data--in some cases graphically--to assist police and corrections officers in managing scarce resources or in directly helping them to solve crimes. The technologies reviewed in this section include those designed to improve the communications interoperability of law enforcement and corrections jurisdictions so that, when necessary, they can easily work cooperatively (chapter 12); provide data to a computer so that images can be created or compared with other images in a database to help identify individuals (chapter 13); recover and/or enhance data captured on videotape or sound recordings (chapter 14); understand crime trends by mapping data about crimes (chapter 15); and develop guidelines and procedures to detect and solve electronic crimes (chapter 16). Although focused on law enforcement and corrections, efforts in this area are undertaken with the understanding that ensuring public safety in critical incidents requires a multidisciplinary response. Law enforcement and corrections must be able to effectively communicate and exchange information with other public safety disciplines (e.g., fire, HAZMAT, and emergency medical services). 12. Communications Interoperability Abundant anecdotal evidence shows that units from two or more law enforcement agencies engaged in a joint operation (such as a high-speed pursuit) frequently cannot communicate directly with each other. This inability to communicate may result from the use of different radio frequencies, varying and proprietary protocols or system architectures, or operational constraints. A variety of technologies are now available to help resolve this problem. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Crime Identification Technology Act Programs (OJP-wide). o Court Discretionary Grant Program (Drug Courts Program Office). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies (Violence Against Women Office). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) Program (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). o Juvenile Justice Formula Grants Program (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Municipal Fire and EMS Equipment and Training Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o State Domestic Preparedness Equipment Support Program (Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support). Standards and Testing o Fixed and Base Station Antennas: NIJ Standard-0204.02. June 1998. The technologies developed in this area are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has issued a number of different operating standards that include standards for the additional 24-megahertz (MHz) bandwidth recently made available to the public safety community (see below). For details, see the FCC Web site at www.fcc.gov. o Mobile Antennas (Revision), NIJ Standard-0205.02. October 1997. Supersedes NIJ Standard-0205.01, dated May 1989, and NILECJ-STD- 0205.00, dated May 1974. This standard establishes minimum performance requirements and methods of test for antennas that are mounted on police vehicles or other mobile platforms used by law enforcement agencies. This revision incorporates the latest recommended methods and procedures of industry standards related to communications antennas and environmental test procedures. o Body-Worn FM Transmitters (Revision), NIJ Standard-0214.01. January 1990. Supersedes NILECJ-STD-0214.00, dated December 1978. This standard establishes performance requirements and methods of test for body-worn frequency-modulated transmitters of 3 watts or less used by law enforcement agencies. This revision modifies the method of test for radiated spurious emission measurements. However, the performance requirement remains unchanged. o Development of advanced wireless technology standards. Through NIJ's Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES), located within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NIJ has partnered with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and other key organizations to identify, develop, and adopt open architecture standards for voice, data, image, and video communications systems for the public safety community. Research and Development Efforts o Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law Enforcement (AGILE) Program. AGILE is an NIJ-developed, focused, comprehensive program to address interoperability. The AGILE Program was created in 1998 to pull together all interoperability projects currently under way at NIJ. AGILE's strategy consists of a multifaceted approach that addresses both the short-term (interim) interoperability solutions and long-term interoperability implemented through standardization encompassing wireless telecommunications and information technology applications. Under the AGILE Program, NIJ has worked with the Alexandria, Virginia, police department to test and evaluate the ACU-1000--an audio gateway technology that ties incompatible radio systems together--in an operational environment. o Software radio interoperation device (SRID). Under an award from NIJ, this project will include designing, developing, testing, analyzing, and reporting the success of a SRID prototype. This award will produce a software radio interoperation device that performs as a reprogrammable patch between a Project 25 radio and legacy FM and AM systems and is capable of covering frequencies approximately between 30 and 512 MHz. o State and Local Communications Interoperability Analysis Program. Operated by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Rocky Mountain, and the (Federal) Public Safety Wireless Network Program, this program was established to conduct a survey of State and local agencies to determine in quantitative terms the extent and magnitude of the communications interoperability problem. In addition, the survey determined projected growth in the need for voice and data communications over the next decade. The results show a severe problem and provide guidance to policymakers and planners at all governmental levels as attempts are made to correct the situation. The FCC and others have recently made available an additional 24 MHz that will be dedicated to public safety use. NIJ is working with a variety of governmental and professional organizations to ensure that this allocation and any reallocation of the existing radio spectrum are optimized. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Rocky Mountain: 800-416-8086. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-West: 888-548-1618. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: 202-305- 9887. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o Antenna System Guide, NIJ Guide 202-00. April 2001. o "Car 54: Where Are You?" TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o Fixed and Base Station Antennas: NIJ Standard-0204.02. June 1998. o "Going Mobile in Law Enforcement." NIJ Journal, Issue 238, January 1999. o Helicopters in Pursuit Operations. NIJ Research in Action (NCJ 171695), August 1998. o "Interoperability: Why Can't We Talk?" NIJ Journal, Issue 243, April 2000. o "'Land Rush' of the 1990s." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o New Technology Batteries Guide: NIJ Guide 200-98. October 1998. o "State and Local Law Enforcement Wireless Communication and Interoperability: A Quantitative Analysis." Unpublished report (NCJ 168961), January 1998. o Understanding Wireless Communications in Public Safety: A Guidebook to Technology, Issues, Planning, and Management. NLECTC- Rocky Mountain (NCJ 180211), March 2000. o "Why Can't We Talk?" When Lives Are at Stake. NIJ video, 1998. o Wireless Communications and Interoperability Among State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies. NIJ Research in Brief (NCJ 168945), January 1998. Internet: o Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law Enforcement (AGILE) Program: www.agileprogram.org. o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Federal Communications Commission: www.fcc.gov. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o National Telecommunications and Information Administration: www.ntia.doc.gov. o Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. 13. Biometric Identification Biometric identification technologies use a particular biological aspect of the human body to recognize or confirm that person's identity. These technologies can be applied in the criminal justice system to enhance access control and identity verification in correctional facilities, and as an investigative tool for identifying missing and exploited children as well as criminals captured by surveillance systems. Technologies in the research stage, under development, and in use in the field include facial recognition technologies and biometrically enhanced smart cards. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) Incentive Grants Program (Corrections Program Office). Standards and Testing At present, there are no standards related to biometric identification. Research and Development Efforts o Algorithmic Image Matching: Police Technology R&D Project. With COPS Office funding, the city of Santa Ana (California) has successfully developed, integrated, tested, and implemented face pattern recognition algorithms into its current generation automated mug shot system-- MugMatch--to provide a real-time, face-to-face search capability from a PC. The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC) has developed a computer software program that lets investigators recreate the human head in three dimensions and then compare it to or search through 1 million faces in less than 1 second. The program does not require expensive equipment; in fact, it will run on a PC equipped with a 200-MHz Pentium [registered] processor. OLETC is currently working on commercialization of the technology. o Face Recognition and Intelligent Software Development Project. This NIJ-funded project involves the development and integration of specialized software search agents with biometric identification "modules." To date, the project has succeeded in integrating face recognition with still photographs, Web-searching agents, digital signature algorithm, and Internet-based utilities. Also under development is the integration of face recognition for video, age progression, newsgroup search agents, and text categorization. o Face Recognition Technology for Internet-Based Gang Tracking Project. In addition to the previous project, a prototype system, funded by NIJ and the COPS Office, was developed to add the capability for face recognition to queries submitted to the Gang Reporting Evaluation and Tracking (GREAT) system using a photograph for matches. The prototype database matching software engine was integrated into the existing system so that it could be queried using photographs and thereby circumvent the false identity cards and information often presented by gang members. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: 888-306- 5382 or oletc@nttc.edu. Publications and Products: o "Biometrics in Corrections." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 2000. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: www.oletc.org. 14. Information Sharing and Analysis Significant efforts are put into the collection of data by the criminal justice community. Data can come in the form of internal departmental memorandums, police arrest and court records, or crime statistics and trends. Data can also come from video cameras and audio recording devices often used in surveillance activities. However, for this information to be fully utilized, there must be a way to convey and analyze the information both internally, within a department, and externally, among agencies. In addition, data obtained from video and audio recordings may require enhancement and analysis to render it useful. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Crime Identification Technology Act (CITA) Programs (OJP-wide). o Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program (Drug Courts Program Office). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies (Violence Against Women Office). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) Program (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). o Juvenile Justice Formula Grants Program (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) (Bureau of Justice Statistics). o National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) Implementation Program (Bureau of Justice Statistics). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). o State Justice Statistics Program for Statistical Analysis Centers (Bureau of Justice Statistics). o STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grants (Violence Against Women Office). o Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistance (Office for Victims of Crime). o Violence Against Women Discretionary Grants for Indian Tribal Governments (Violence Against Women Office). Standards and Testing At present, there are no standards related to information sharing and analysis. Research and Development Efforts o E-Crime Clearinghouse. NLECTC-Northeast has established a Cooperative Research and Development Center Agreement between the Air Force Research Laboratory/Information Directorate and Utica College's Computer Forensics Research and Development Center. The Northeast facility is developing a Web-based clearinghouse for electronic crime and computer forensics contacts, tools, and training. o FALCON (Future Alert and Contact Network). Using funding from NIJ and the COPS Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will design and develop an information management system that will monitor incoming records for a particular series of officer-defined events and then notify that officer when the events occur. This project will analyze the preexisting database network system, design and develop the code for the FALCON system and the interface to the electronic mail and pager, and debug the system code as necessary during the eight-officer site pilot test. o InfoTech Program. As part of the AGILE Program, NIJ, through JPSG, is developing an informational technology system providing interregional information sharing among law enforcement agencies (LEAs). This system allows LEAs to share information using existing systems and networks. Each agency decides what is to be shared and with whom. InfoTech is introducing new technologies and methods for ease of use, security and privacy, and information exchange--while minimizing cost and allowing agencies to set their own policies regarding sharing and security. The demonstrations involving the sheriffs' offices in Florida's Monroe and Brevard Counties, initiated in May 1998, are now fully operational and being used by investigators and court personnel. Current efforts in FY 2000 include linking regional information systems in San Diego County, California; the addition of more agencies in Florida; the integration of statewide information systems in Oregon; and, through the COPS technology program, expansion into Virginia. o Vulnerability assessments. NLECTC's Southeast facility is working with the South Carolina Research Authority and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to conduct vulnerability assessments of law enforcement agencies' information management systems. NLECTC is conducting a nationwide assessment of police and sheriffs' departments to determine current uses and practices, unsatisfied needs, and available information management systems. o Northeast Gang Information System (NEGIS). NEGIS is a five-database computer system originally developed in Massachusetts and shared by and serving Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The system allows jurisdictions to share information on gangs through e-mail, nonsensitive documents, an investigative lead database, and a gang intelligence database. The equipment was provided and the training was developed under an NIJ grant to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o Joint Program Steering Group: 703-351-8719. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- Northeast: 888-338-0584. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-West: 888-548-1618. o Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JAIBG funds): 202-307-5924 or ojjdp.ncjrs.org/jaibg. o Police Executive Research Forum (PERF): 202-466-7820. Publications and Products: o "Coplink: Database Detective." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1999. o "Debugging the Millennium Bug." TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 1999. o "A FALCON'S Eye." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1999. o "Ganging Up on Gangs." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 1999. o A Guide for Applying Information Technology in Law Enforcement. NLECTC, March 2001. o "The IDENT System: Putting 'Structure to the Chaos of the Border.'" NIJ Journal, Issue 237, October 1998. o "The LEO Link." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1999. o "Making Information Technology Work." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 2000. o "Ohio Inmates Get 'Carded.'" TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o Police Department Information Systems Technology Enhancement Project (ISEP). COPS Report, October 1998. o "Putting the Fire Out in Utica." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1998. o "A Reach Across Jurisdictions." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 2000. o "Smart Cards: An Information Tool for the Future." NIJ Journal, Issue 236, July 1998. o Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1997. Prepared by SEARCH for the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (NCJ 175041), April 1999. o "Taking the Fight Out in Lakewood." TechBeat, NLECTC, Fall 1998. o "Thinking Globally to Act Locally: NIJ Improves Worldwide Access to Criminal Justice Information." NIJ Journal, Issue 230, February 1996. o "Wanted: Clinkers, Clunkers, and Lemons." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1998. o "Where Users Aren't Losers." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 1999. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Bureau of Justice Statistics: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org. 15. Crime Mapping One of the most significant advances in the area of information technology in the criminal justice field has been crime mapping using geographic information systems (GIS). Crime mapping looks at the spatial and temporal dimensions of crime and enhances the ability of law enforcement agencies to analyze crime in the context of other social forces, such as the locations of various types of crimes, public benefit distribution, health care, and demographic patterns. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Crime Mapping Research Center Fellowship Program (National Institute of Justice). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Innovative Community Policing Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Juvenile Justice Formula Grants Program (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). o Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) Program (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). o Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) Grants (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing At present, there are no standards related to crime mapping technologies. Research and Development Efforts The Crime Mapping Research Center supports the development of analytic mapping in criminal justice agencies. One area of interest is the use of GIS to support multijurisdictional data sharing projects--Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative (SACSI) and the Community, Mapping, Planning, and Analysis for Safety Strategies (COMPASS) initiative. A key component of both initiatives is the sharing of data across multiple agencies to promote collaborative problem solving. Another area of breaking research involves six grants that are moving beyond description and into prediction. For example, one grant is testing the "broken windows" hypothesis and another is examining the behavior of drug dealers in the creation of illegal drug markets. The drug market research attempts to predict where drug markets tend to form and where they are likely to be displaced if police action is taken. Technology assistance for State and local law enforcement and corrections agencies is available through the NLECTC Crime Mapping and Analysis Program (CMAP). NLECTC will provide technology assistance, working directly with the requesting agency to determine the level and extent of service needed. Agencies may send their personnel to NLECTC offices to attend training, conduct research, assess software and hardware, and use the Center's resources on a first-come, first-served basis. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o The Crime Mapping Research Center, National Institute of Justice: 202- 514-3431 or cmrc@ojp.usdoj.gov. o Crime Mapping and Analysis Program, National Institute of Justice National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Rocky Mountain: 800-416-8086 or nlectc@du.edu; or National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Southeast: 800-292-4385 or nlectc-se@nlectc-se.org. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. Publications and Products: o Crime Mapping and Analysis by Community Organizations in Hartford, Connecticut. NIJ Research in Brief (NCJ 185333), March 2001. o Integrating Community Policing and Computer Mapping: Assessing Issues and Needs Among COPS Office Grantees. Police Foundation, COPS Office, February 2000. o Mapping Crime: Principle and Practice. Research Report (NCJ 178919), December 1999. o Mapping Out Crime: Providing 21st Century Tools for Safe Communities. Report of the Task Force on Crime Mapping and Data-Driven Management, U.S. Department of Justice, National Partnership for Reinventing Government. July 1999. o "Problem Solving With Maps." NIJ Journal, Issue 241, October 1999. o Users' Guide to Crime Mapping Software for Police Agencies. Police Foundation, COPS Office, February 2000. o See the CMRC Web site for a list of the publications the Center offers: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc/pubs/welcome.html. o Free crime mapping software is available through CMRC. -- CrimeStat 1.0, a spatial statistics program for the analysis of crime incident locations, was developed under a grant from NIJ. The program provides supplemental statistical tools to aid law enforcement agencies and criminal justice researchers in their crime mapping efforts. The program is Windows based; interfaces with most desktop GIS programs; inputs incident locations in dBASE [copyright] dbf, shp, or ASCII format using either spherical or projected coordinates; calculates various spatial statistics; and writes graphical objects to ArcView [registered], MapInfo [registered], Atlas*GIS [trademark], Surfer for [registered] Windows, and ArcView Spatial Analyst [copyright]. Free download information is available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc/tools/welcome.html. -- Community Policing Beat Book, developed under a cooperative agreement between NIJ and the Environmental Systems Research Institute using MapObjects, is designed for use by officers on laptops in their cars or at substations. Free download information is available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc/tools/welcome.html. -- Crime Analysis Extension for ArcView is designed to provide easy-to-use tools for geographic crime analysis, data management, mapping, and reporting. The software was developed under a cooperative agreement between NIJ and the Environmental Systems Research Institute. Free download information is available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc/tools/welcome.html. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Crime Mapping Research Center: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: www.usdoj.gov/cops. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. 16. Electronic Crime/Cybercrime With the advent of the Internet has come a whole new category of crime that includes fraud; theft of services and data; copyright infringement; destruction of data through computer sabotage (viruses); and acts causing inconvenience to agencies or compromising sensitive, secret, or confidential government and business functions. Because electronic crime is technology driven, law enforcement agencies will encounter a wide variety of technologies and criminal tactics. Because these technologies can be expected to change rapidly, law enforcement agencies must be prepared to use technology, either directly or indirectly, to frustrate and apprehend offenders. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Crime Identification Technology Act Programs (OJP-wide). o Institute for Security Technology Studies, Dartmouth College (National Institute of Justice). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing Through the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES), the National Institute of Justice is establishing the capability to validate computer forensic software and other computer software, including operating systems and various types of applications software. This capability is required to ensure that computer forensic software tools provide consistent, accurate, and objective test results. The validation capability will also establish software configuration standards against which various operating systems and software applications may be compared for their authenticity. Validation testing development work is being performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Department of Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory is providing investigative expertise. Research and Development Efforts NIJ completed a comprehensive assessment of State and local law enforcement resources needed to combat electronic crime. This assessment was motivated by a similar assessment that was performed earlier by the National Cybercrime Training Partnership (NCTP). In the NIJ assessment, input was requested from 126 members of State and local criminal justice agencies representing all 50 States. Respondents were asked to indicate their current and near-future needs for combating electronic crime. Based on an analysis of the needs expressed by the State and local agency representatives, NIJ asked a panel of experts in the field of electronic crime to draw appropriate recommendations for the assessment. The full report of the needs assessment, Electronic Crime Needs for State and Local Law Enforcement, and a summary of the recommendations, State and Local Law Enforcement Needs to Combat Electronic Crime, are available (see listings under Publications and Products). OLES and NIST have initiated efforts to create a National Software Library for NIJ. This library will initially contain known file filters (KFF) and other support software for the FBI's Automated Computer Examination System (ACES) forensic software tool. In time, the library may contain other computer forensic software tools, including commercial off-the-shelf versions, and software validation standards. NIJ is working with OLES, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), the FBI, NCTP, local and State agencies, and industry to produce a series of seven quick reference guides for handling electronic investigations. These guides will be derived from information provided by field investigators, crime lab analysts, litigation experts, and others, by way of a Technical Work Group (TWG) strategy employed by NIJ. Collectively, the series will cover the spectrum of evidence handling from crime scene awareness to courtroom presentation. The first volume, Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for First Responders, is planned for publication in early 2001. Additional volumes will cover technology management, analysis of evidence, investigative use of technology, investigation of technology-based crime, forensic laboratory setup, and courtroom presentation of electronic evidence. NIJ is also supporting a national cybercrime prevention education campaign for juveniles. The campaign will promote responsible computer and cyberspace behavior. NIJ will partner with the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Institute for Security Technology Studies, Dartmouth College: 603-646- 0698 or richard.a.scribner@dartmouth.edu. o National Center for Forensic Science: 407-823-6469 or natlctr@mail.ucf.edu. o National Forensic Science Technology Center: 727-549-6067 or admin@nfstc.org. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- Northeast: 888-338-0584. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-West: 888-548-1618. o National Cybercrime Training Partnership: 304-366-9094 or 877-NCTP-ORG (877-628-7674). o National White Collar Crime Center: 877-NCTP-ORG (877-628-7674). o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o "Angels on the Internet." Techbeat, NLECTC, Winter 2001. o Best Practices for Seizing Electronic Evidence. A joint project of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. Secret Service. Available at www.theiacp.org/pubinfo/pubs or www.ustreas.gov/usss. o "Catching the Cyber Crook." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 2000. o Electronic Crime Needs Assessment for State and Local Law Enforcement. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 186276), March 2001. o Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for First Responders. NIJ Guide, available in late 2001. o Needs and Prospects for Crime-Fighting Technology: The Federal Role in Assisting State and Local Law Enforcement, by William Schwabe. Prepared for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy by RAND (publication MR-1101.0-OSTP), June 1999. o "Policing Internet Use." TechBeat, NLECTC, Summer 2000. o State and Local Law Enforcement Needs to Combat Electronic Crime. NIJ Research in Brief (NCJ 183451), August 2000. o "This Is One Crime That Didn't Compute." TechBeat, NLECTC, Winter 1999. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, U.S. Department of Justice: www.cybercrime.gov. o Department of Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory: www.dcfl.com. o Institute for Security Technology Studies, Dartmouth College: www.ists.dartmouth.edu. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o National Center for Forensic Science: ncfs.ucf.edu. o National Cybercrime Training Partnership: www.nctp.org. o National Fraud Complaint Management Center-Internet Fraud Complaint Center (National White Collar Crime Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation): www.ifccfbi.gov. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/welcome.html. o National Institute of Standards and Technology: www.nist.gov. o National White Collar Crime Center: www.nw3c.org and www.cybercrime.org. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. o U.S. Secret Service: www.treas.gov/usss. ------------------------------ Section IV Investigative and Forensic Sciences Investigative and forensic sciences--those scientific disciplines, technologies, and methods supporting the investigation of crime and the prosecution of criminals--play a critical role in our Nation's system of justice. High-profile cases seen in courts in recent years have highlighted the importance of such areas as DNA analysis; fingerprint comparison; trace evidence analysis; physical evidence identification, collection, and preservation; questioned document analysis; and eyewitness interviewing and identification. The Attorney General's interest in the rightful conviction of criminals as well as the exoneration of innocent parties has prompted a significant investment in improving Office of Justice Programs (OJP) efforts in the area of investigative and forensic sciences. These efforts are managed primarily through the Investigative and Forensic Sciences Division, Office of Science and Technology, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and focus on supporting State and local law enforcement agencies. NIJ works with other OJP Bureaus in administering programs in this area, including the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). NIJ's work is also coordinated with other DOJ and Federal agencies concerned with forensic science and criminal investigation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the U.S. Secret Service, as well as the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and Energy. This section describes areas in which OJP has made and continues to make significant investments toward improving forensic technologies and services and investigative procedures, including support to public crime laboratories (chapter 17), research and development in innovative and enhanced forensic technologies (chapter 18), and development of investigative protocols and recommended procedures for law enforcement practitioners (chapter 19). 17. Crime Laboratory Assistance Public crime laboratories historically have suffered from low funding, understaffing, and high personnel turnover, leaving them in some cases with inconsistent standards, inexperienced personnel, and tremendous backlogs. Nevertheless, reliable and timely forensic analytical results from these labs are essential to solving crime. The equipment, training, and laboratory modifications required to increase State and local crime lab capacities and bring them up to national quality assurance standards come at a cost beyond the reach of most agencies. Federal funding support, in the form of grants to State and local agencies, is therefore critical to the improvement of crime laboratory services. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Convicted Offender DNA Backlog Reduction Program (National Institute of Justice). o Crime Identification Technology Act Programs (OJP-wide). o Crime Laboratory Improvement Program (CLIP) (National Institute of Justice). o DNA Five-Year Research and Development Program (National Institute of Justice). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has worked with the FBI's DNA Advisory Board and Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (TWGDAM, now known as SWGDAM--Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods) in recent years to advocate national standards for DNA testing and analyst training and education requirements. The concept of a national DNA database of convicted offenders, the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), necessitates the implementation of statewide and nationwide standard testing methodologies. NIJ funds for DNA improvements are awarded only to laboratories certifying compliance with these standards. Quality standards are also in place for other forensic disciplines and must be met for laboratories to obtain accreditation in those areas. Research and Development Efforts No research and development projects are currently being pursued in this area. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse: 800-688-4252. o Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse: 800-732-3277. o National Center for Forensic Science: 407-823-6469 or natlctr@mail.ucf.edu. o National Forensic Science Technology Center: 727-549-6067 or admin@nfstc.org. o National Institute of Justice, Office of Science and Technology: 202- 307-0645. o National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- National: 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: 301-975-2757 or oles@nist.gov. Publications and Products: o "Building A Forensic Laboratory." TechBeat, NLECTC, Spring 1999. o Forensic Laboratories: Handbook for Facility Planning, Design, Construction, and Moving. NIJ Research Report (NCJ 168106), April 1998. o Forensic Sciences: Review of Status and Needs. NIJ Issues and Practices Report (NCJ 173412), 1999. Internet: o Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. o Federal Bureau of Investigation DNA Advisory Board: www.for-swg.org/swgdamin.htm. o National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. o JUSTNET (National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system): www.nlectc.org. o Office of Justice Programs: www.ojp.usdoj.gov. o Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.oles.org. o Crime Identification Technology Act Programs (CITA): www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cita. 18. Forensic Technology Research and Development Forensic science areas such as DNA, trace evidence, ballistics, toxicology, impression evidence (including fingerprints), and questioned documents must have demonstrated scientific foundations to yield strong evidence in court. Recent challenges to the admissibility of fingerprint and questioned document analyses underscore this need. Advances already made in the field of DNA testing are an example of the type of research, development, and validation needed in all forensic areas that can provide solutions allowing forensic practitioners with limited resources to work more economically while improving the quality of their analyses. Although the science of DNA has been able to overcome past court challenges with some success, advanced technology development in this area can further enhance the discriminatory power and speed of analysis while reducing cost. Potential Funding Sources [May be used for personnel, training, equipment, technical assistance, research, development, or implementation (see appendix C for details and contacts).] o Crime Identification Technology Act Programs (OJP-wide). o DNA Five-Year Research and Development Program (National Institute of Justice). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grants (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance). o Office of Science and Technology general and directed solicitations (National Institute of Justice). Standards and Testing Laboratory accreditation by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors-Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB) in all areas of forensic science requires that quality assurance measures be in place at the lab. Quality assurance standards have been developed by the FBI's DNA Advisory Board (DAB) for DNA analysis. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed and tested DNA performance standards for the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) polymarker, short tandem repeat (STR), and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis procedures. These performance standards are used to assess laboratories' abilities to conduct these methods of DNA analysis. NIJ has supported the development of criteria for model external DNA proficiency testing for State and local DNA laboratories, the development of certification exams for practicing firearm and tool mark examiners, and the establishment of a forensic accreditation board that will review and certify forensic specialty-certifying organizations, such as the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC). At the National Institute of Standards and Technology, standard bullets and casings are being developed as reference standards for crime laboratories. The standard bullets and casings will help verify that the computerized optical imaging equipment used in those laboratories is operating properly (i.e., for ballistics measurement quality control). They will also provide a foundation for establishment of nationwide ballistics measurement traceability and unification. Research and Development Efforts o Crime scene investigation technology. NIJ has demonstrated the use of teleforensic technology as a means for communicating knowledge from forensic scientists in a crime laboratory to investigators at a crime scene. This joint project between NIJ, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the New York State Police involves a panel of renowned forensic scientists, crime lab directors, law enforcement professionals, and attorneys exploring the use of NASA space technology and other remote sensing technologies for remote crime scene imaging. NIJ is also developing two highly technical tools for onsite crime scene investigation. The first is a tactical robot for archival crime scene evaluation, which will identify explosives and drugs and can be used to collect evidence. The other crime scene investigation technology is a fluorescence imaging tool that law enforcement investigators can use to identify fingerprints or biological evidence in natural lighting conditions. o DNA. NIJ is supporting a 5-year effort to fund all areas of research and technology development to enhance the use of DNA in the criminal justice system. Projects include DNA chip technology, which can make DNA analysis portable for use at a crime scene; mass spectrometry technology, which offers great improvements in sample processing speed and throughput; and statistical modeling, which supports estimates of DNA profile rarity for reports and courtroom presentations. o Entomology. NIJ is supporting research to validate a procedure for determining the post mortem interval (i.e., the elapsed time from death to discovery of body or "time since death") using the science of entomology and DNA. One study is validating the reliability of using pigs of varying sizes as models for human decomposition. Another project is identifying the DNA of various larvae found on bodies, which entomologists have shown to be found at different stages of decomposition. o Firearms and ballistics. NIJ supported the development and validation of a ballistics matching technology using three-dimensional images of bullets and cartridge cases. In addition, NIJ is working in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to create a comprehensive Firearms Identification System (FIS) database that will be made available to all law enforcement agencies on a CD-ROM platform. o Questioned documents. NIJ has initiated two major technology developments to provide a sound scientific basis for identifying the writer of a document. NIJ has funded research to validate the individuality of handwriting and to develop a computer-assisted procedure for comparing handwriting. The outcome of this study should be a technology that meets the standards for admissibility set by the Supreme Court in the Kumho Tire decision. NIJ is also supporting a project to develop and validate a linguistic method of distinguishing authors of electronically created documents. Both are showing promising success and will significantly influence document examination in the future. o Trace evidence. NIJ is supporting a series of mass spectrometry research and validation studies using a number of trace evidence samples, including glass, fibers, hair, and chemicals (such as explosives trace chemicals). One of these studies uses the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) technology, a state-of-the-art instrumentation that has the potential to provide a chemical-specific characterization for automotive paint, nail polishes, and chemicals present on the surface of hair, such as those found in treatment or styling products. Sources of Further Information Contacts: o National Center for Forensic Science: 407-823-6469 or natlctr@mail.ucf.edu.