WASHINGTON, DC – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced it has awarded more than $43 million to institutions, agencies and organizations for research and evaluation projects that identify data-driven programs for reducing crime and promoting justice. The awards span research topic priorities such as prisoner reentry, terrorism prevention, human trafficking and police officer safety and wellness.
“The more we know about crime—the better we understand its causes and consequences—the greater our chances of finding sustainable solutions to the public safety problems confronting our communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The research supported by these awards will expand our knowledge about what works to reduce crime, curb reoffending and protect our criminal justice professionals, and this new knowledge will put us a step closer to achieving a more just and lawful society.”
The awards are part of a strategic plan developed by OJP’s National Institute of Justice to advance technology, strengthen scientific research and translate knowledge to practice. They represent NIJ’s broader effort to include more diversity of disciplines, such as physical and social sciences, to link areas of research that have not previously been connected.
The research addresses critical needs such as prisoner reentry, emphasizing innovative strategies to reintegrate offenders into communities and reduce recidivism. Today’s announcement includes three projects that will study reentry initiatives, including those in rural communities. The research will advance the body of knowledge on promising practices in the field of offender reentry and inform the development of more effective reentry-specific initiatives.
In support of OJP’s commitment to the safety, health and wellness of individuals in criminal justice occupations and those who are under the supervision of the criminal justice system, today’s announcement includes five awards supporting multidisciplinary research projects that address topics such as resiliency, recovery from traumatic events and the impact of organizational stressors on officer health and wellness. Because individuals working within the criminal justice system face stressors that include fluctuating work hours and shifts, and tense interactions with the public, the use of mixed-method approaches will provide a fuller understanding of the context within which many of these professionals operate.
Three of today’s awards support human trafficking research and build upon existing research and evaluation efforts to better understand, prevent and respond to trafficking in persons in the United States. The research projects address both sex and labor trafficking, with an emphasis on topic areas that examine the health and wellness of trafficking victimization and profiling recruitment tactics. An additional award is being provided to specifically examine law enforcement responses to the sex trafficking of minors.
For a complete list of grant programs, amounts awarded, and recipients, visit https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/researchfactsheet.pdf.
Additional information about these awards and other FY 2020 grant awards made by the Office of Justice Programs can be found online at the OJP Awards Data webpage