In episode four of our Innovations in Corrections season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Sam Scaggs, research criminologist and corrections expert at RTI International, to discuss how automatic appointment reminders help justice-involved individuals better navigate probation-mandated behavioral health care management appointments. For those involved in the criminal justice system, missing a mandatory appointment such as a court date, treatment service, or parole visit could have serious legal...

In episode three of our Innovations in Corrections season, Just Science sat down with Todd Craig, retired Acting Assistant Director for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Neal Parsons, Senior Research Scientist and Project Manager at RTI International, to discuss how technological advancements can help correctional officers prevent the introduction of contraband into jails and prisons. For correctional officers, preventing contraband from entering jails and prisons is a top priority as it can...

In episode two of our Innovations in Corrections season, Just Science sat down with Joe Russo, institutional and community corrections researcher with the University of Denver, to discuss how advancements in technology can improve the probation and parole experience for both officers and clients. Community supervision agencies, such as probation and parole offices, are responsible for providing many services to their clients, including case management, location monitoring, and drug and...

In episode one of our Innovations in Corrections season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Christine Lindquist, Director of the Corrections and Reentry Research Program at RTI International, to discuss the importance of consulting individuals with lived experience when designing corrections and reentry research. To assist incarcerated individuals who are preparing to reenter their communities, correctional institutions are rolling out technologies, such as reentry planning software or special...

In episode four of our Domestic Radicalization season, Just Science sat down with Dr. William Parkin, Senior Research Analyst at RTI International, and Dr. Rainer Hilscher, Senior Research Data Scientist at RTI International, to discuss what people do when an improvised explosive device, or IED, detonates in a public space. When an IED unexpectedly explodes in a crowded space, people can react in many ways including freezing, fleeing, helping, or hiding. Using information from past attacks,...

In episode three of our Domestic Radicalization season, Just Science sat down with Sarah Cook and Ariane Noar, Researchers in the Security and Extremism Research Program at RTI International, to discuss how their work contributes to the prevention of violent extremism. Many organizations across the country receive funding from the Department of Homeland Security, to implement programs that aim to prevent terrorism and targeted violence. To better understand if these programs are effective and...

In episode two of our Domestic Radicalization season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Matthew DeMichele, Director of the Center for Criminal Legal Systems Research at RTI International, to discuss his research focused on former members of white supremacist groups. Domestic Violent Extremists use violence to further their social or political goals, and thereby pose a significant threat to the American public. To better understand these groups, Dr. DeMichele’s research examines the factors...

In episode one of our Domestic Radicalization season, Just Science sat down with Neal Parsons, Senior Research Scientist at RTI International, to discuss the growing threat of drone use and how the American criminal justice system is responding. Most people think of drones as a benign hobby or a tool to take aerial photos and videos, however, recent research reveals that drones are increasingly being used for malicious purposes. Drones are easily accessible to the masses and can be used to...

In episode four of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Catherine Grgicak, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University-Camden, and Stephanie Stoiloff, Chief of the Forensic Services Division at the Miami-Dade Police Department, to discuss their real-world experiences with introducing new forensic technology into practice. While new forensic research products are often innovative and interesting, they may not always be practical in...

In episode three of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Catherine Grgicak, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University Camden, and Henry Maynard, Lead Research Scientist for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, to discuss the importance of developing research infrastructure within forensic laboratories and communication channels with collaborators. Forensic research and advancement are impossible without the...

In episode two of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Cleveland Miles, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Division of Forensic Science, and Henry Maynard, Lead Research Scientist for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, to discuss the importance of building partnerships in the forensic community to effectively communicate and advance forensic technology. Successfully transitioning forensic technology into...

In episode one of our Roadmap to Improving Technology Transition season, Just Science sat down with Lucas Zarwell, Director of the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at the National Institute of Justice, and Dr. Jeri Ropero-Miller, Principal Scientist and Director of the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence at RTI International, to discuss a newly published roadmap that guides the transition of forensic research and technology innovations into the forensic practitioner...

In episode four of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Michael McKissic, founder of the Mikey23 Foundation, Reverend Rodrick Burton, St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition's Chairperson for Public Safety, and Dr. Stacy Sechrist, Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, to discuss the importance of building trust between law enforcement and community members and ultimately improving gun violence...

In episode three of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Lamar Fyall, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Rob Lang, Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, and John Wilkinson, Attorney Advisor at AEquitas, to discuss how state, local, and federal prosecutors’ offices can collaborate with law enforcement to improve case outcomes. While some law...

In episode two of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Fabio Sanchez, Crime Gun Intelligence Sergeant at the City of Miami Police Department, Yaneisy Delgado, Intelligence Analyst at the Miami-Dade Police Department, and Kevin Armbruster, retired Lieutenant with the Milwaukee Police Department, to discuss how their agencies utilize ballistics evidence and cross-agency collaboration to improve gun violence...

In episode one of our National Case Closed Project: Supporting Best Practices in Investigation season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Kevin Strom, Director of the Center for Policing Research and Investigative Science at RTI International, and John Skaggs, retired homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, to discuss the goals of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA’s) National Case Closed Project and strategic recommendations for law enforcement agencies to improve their...

In episode eight of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Brian McVicker, a Forensic Footwear and Tire Examiner at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to discuss developing shoe and tire impressions on fabric using ninhydrin. When a victim is stomped or runover, the transfer of skin cells onto the inside of the victim’s clothing can leave an impression of the shoe or tire that was used. Due to the valuable information this can provide to investigations, the FBI...

In episode seven of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Ross Krewenka, Product Manager for IDEMIA, and Mike Ransom, Automated Print Manager for the Michigan State Police, to discuss the development and use cases of contactless fingerprint capture technology. Traditionally, ink and paper are used to capture fingerprints from subjects; however, advances in technology have made it possible to document fingerprints electronically. Furthermore, technological advancements have even...

In episode 6 of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Richard Vorder Bruegge, Senior Physical Scientist at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to discuss how facial recognition technology was used to help identify individuals in photographs in two landmark cases. Many individuals encounter facial recognition technology in their everyday lives like when they unlock their phones. This same technology can help significantly speed up and improve forensic investigations. Listen...

In episode five of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Justin Schorr, Principal Collision Reconstruction Engineer, and Tim Primrose, Mobile Forensic Analyst, at DJS Associates, Inc. to discuss utilizing digital evidence in real-world cases. In the digital age, forensic technology has broad applications for investigations. From cell phone, social media account, and car infotainment system data to three-dimensional modeling for crime scene reconstruction, technology is...

In episode four of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Josh Yonovitz, expert witness in forensic audio, to discuss the history of utilizing voice identification in investigations and the current state of forensic audio. In the 1960’s, voice identification started being used in forensics, but the original voiceprint analysis used was proven to be inaccurate. Nowadays, forensic scientists use a methodology known as Aural-Acoustic Speaker Identification, which is scientifically...

In episode three of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Laura Matson, an Advanced Latent Print and Footwear Examiner with the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories, to discuss the value of providing footwear investigative leads. Footwear impressions are commonly found in crime scenes; however, these impressions can be difficult to detect and collect which leads to the underutilization of footwear evidence. While traditional footwear analysis compares unknown impressions to a...

In episode two of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Crime Scene Technician Brian Turner and Detective Roberto Caceres from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office to discuss a new methodology for processing fired cartridge cases. When a cartridge case is recovered from a crime scene, investigators must typically decide whether to swab it for DNA or process it for latent prints. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office has developed a promising new technique that involves processing a...

In episode one of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Ian Oxton, Forensic Identification Specialist for the Calgary Police Service, to discuss a triple homicide case involving the longest lasting Amber Alert in Alberta, Canada’s history. Operation Amber started as a race against the clock for a missing child and his grandparents, then quickly evolved into a massive search effort on a 40-acre property. During the investigation, a wide range of forensic techniques, including...