FTCOE White Box Seized Drugs Interlaboratory Comparison Study

Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ, 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU) is conducting a research evaluation of analytical schemes used within seized drug chemistry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance…

Landscape Study of Next Generation Sequencing Technologies for Forensic Applications

Date April 2023 Overview The National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ’s) Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE), led by RTI International, provides valuable resources that promote the use of novel and innovative technologies in the forensic community. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)…

Data Exchange Practices of Medicolegal Death Investigation

Date December 2022 Overview The National Institute of Justice (NIJ)—in partnership with its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International and the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—convened a virtual Medicolegal Death…

Full body x-ray scans of a deceased individual

Case Study Guides for Select NMDID Cases

Date December 2022 Overview The New Mexico Decedent Image Database provides access to whole body postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) images of more than 15,000 decedents, and a rich body of associated metadata, in support of research and education. There are…

The NIJ Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group – Progress to Date and Future Plans

Date November 2022 Overview Recognizing the many challenges associated with adopting new technologies and other innovations in forensic science organizations, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) formed the Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG) in 2018. FLN-TWG provides a…

The Sentinel Role of Forensic Toxicology Laboratories to Identify and Act Upon Diverse Drug Threats by Addressing Toxicology and Economic Demands

Publication Forensic Science International: Synergy, September, 2022 Authors Jeri D. Ropero Miller | RTI International Lawrance D. Mullen | RTI International Paul J. Speaker | West Virginia University Introduction The societal costs from substance abuse are extensive and include treatment…

In-Brief Report Series: Digital Transformation of Cold Case Reviews

Date November 2022 Overview Advances in forensic science and investigative capabilities represent opportunities and challenges for allied criminal justice professionals involved in violent crime cold case investigations. Modern techniques and technologies can uncover important insights that may not have been…

A Review of Legislation Associated With Lawfully Owed DNA Samples

Date September 2022 Overview Convicted offender DNA sample collection laws vary in each state in terms of what type of offense obligates an offender to provide a sample, whether a conviction should be the trigger for sample collection, and which…

Evaluation of Purdue University’s 3D Imaging Prototype for Footwear and Tire Impressions

Date September 2022 Overview Supported by two National Institute of Justice (NIJ) awards (2016-DN-BX-0189 and 2019-R2-CX-0069), Dr. Song Zhang and his research team at Purdue University led the development of a fully automated 3D imaging system for footwear and tire…

An Introduction to Forensic Genetic Genealogy Technology for Forensic Science Service Providers

Date September 2022 Overview DNA evidence can play a key role in investigations of cold case violent crimes and in cases of missing and unidentified individuals. Searching DNA profiles against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s Combined DNA Index System…