The U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) was established by Congress in 1968 and provides criminal justice practitioners and policymakers with the knowledge and tools needed to control crime and administer justice. This annual report presents NIJ’s activities in fiscal year 2003 (FY 2003). It illustrates NIJ’s commitment to improving criminal justice by bringing reliable science information into the field. Highlights for the year 2003 in the areas of research, development, and evaluation include: (1) counterterrorism -- the detection, investigation, and prosecution of terrorist incidents; (2) improving law enforcement and corrections -- finding ways that law enforcement and corrections officers can do their jobs effectively, safely, and efficiently; (3) maximizing the investigative power of DNA through improvements in collection and analysis; (4) violence and victimization in the areas of sexual violence and batterers and their victims; (5) the exploration of new tools and technology, the testing of existing technologies, and the development of standards in technology; (6) foster a safe school environment and complement the nontechnical components of a comprehensive school safety program; and (7) conduct evaluations of programs funded by other agencies and develop policies and procedures to ensure the quality and utility of evaluations. Appendixes are provided on financial data, NIJ awards for FY 2003, NIJ publications and products for FY 2003, and Web site statistics for FY 2003.