This month, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine issued its report, “Support for Forensic Science Research: Improving the Scientific Role of the National Institute of Justice.” The document made recommendations for strengthening the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in its capacity as the supporting body for forensic research in the US. This article focuses on the recommendations made in two areas of the report—research priorities and funding. Unless otherwise indicated, the information in this article comes from the report.

The NIJ is one of several federal departments and agencies performing and supporting research in forensic science in the US. Part of its mission and goals is to “improv[e] knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science.” Its efforts include translating forensic science research to practice and grants, and working across scientific fields.

The NIJ is the source of most of the external support for forensic science research conducted in state and local government labs, and academic labs. The agency funds both applied and basic research (although mostly applied), as well as lab capacity and assistance, and R&D.

The report, conducted by an ad hoc committee appointed by the National Research Council, is the Council’s third study in six years focusing on the federal government’s leadership role in forensic science research. The reports reached the common conclusion that the NIJ should be playing a stronger part in leading the field. The most recent study focused on the NIJ’s leadership role in critical areas of forensic science research and the agency’s efforts to improve its role as an independent scientific body.

After assessing the current state of forensic science research at the NIJ and how the agency has responded to previous recommendations, the committee made several additional recommendations. They are intended to be a “blueprint for the future to substantially improve the amount and quality of forensic science research supported by NIJ.”

Research Priorities

To identify needs in the field of forensic science, the NIJ’s Office of Science and Technology (OST) and Office of Investigative Forensic Sciences (OIFS) have set up Technology Working Groups (TWGs), composed of forensic science practitioners, to provide input on research priorities. To preclude bias by researchers’ self-interest, practitioners who are primarily researchers are not included in the groups. According to the NIJ, “Through the formation of TWGs, NIJ reaches out to the forensic science community to identify, discuss and prioritize operational needs and requirements. . . . [I]dentifying the needs and requirements help inform NIJ’s planned efforts, and ensure that future research and development investments meet the needs of the forensic science community.”

Fiscal 2015 (FY15) operational requirements determined by the OIFS TWGs are available from the NIJ website, www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/documents/2015-forensic-twg-table.pdf. Among the disciplines included are forensic biology/DNA, controlled substances and toxicology, and forensic pathology. Examples of the more than 100 needs listed include a new platform for genotyping, efficient ways to separate and identify compounds, and fast, affordable imaging technologies for post mortem exams.

One of the committee’s new recommendations is that the NIJ should continue its current means of input for forensic science needs, such as through the TWGs. In addition, the agency should establish a research advisory board, comprised of forensic science researchers and practitioners, that includes a wider range of disciplines within forensic science.

Budget

The NIJ’s forensic science research budget comes from the agency’s base funding, the Office of Justice Programs’ assistance programs for research and statistics, and from the NIJ’s DNA backlog reduction and sexual assault forensic examinations programs. The NIJ does not have funding specifically for research in forensic science.

A 2009 report stated that funding for forensic science research was inadequate to strengthen the field.Since then, funding has not increased sufficiently, according to the report. Although the NIJ’s budget for forensic research has risen, those funds have been restricted for use with assistance programs, such as for DNA backlogs. Furthermore, those programs have experienced decreases in funding over the past three years.

In FY13, the NIJ’s total funding was $211 million. The largest portion, 43%, was for the OIFS forensic lab analysis and capacity enhancement. OIFS R&D received 9% of the total.

In accordance with previous recommendations, the NIJ has increased funding awarded for forensic science research and broadened the disciplines it supports. In FY14, the NIJ’s commitment to forensic science R&D was $23 million. Since 2009, the agency has funded 269 research projects, totaling $116 million. It has also provided $11 million for forensic science R&D to other federal entities. For example, the NIJ funds the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC), led by the NIST, which works to develop quality standards and guidelines for forensic science. In FY14, the NIJ gave $3 million to the NIST for the OSAC.

The committee concluded that funding for forensic science at the NIJ is not sufficiently stable for the agency to develop a long-term plan for forensic science. And because the NIJ’s partnerships with other federal agencies rely mainly on the NIJ’s support, they detract from the funds the agency is able to spend on its own programs. Consequently, the committee recommended that federal policy makers establish consistent and flexible spending for the NIJ’s forensic science R&D.

In response to the report’s recommendations, the agency told IBO, “NIJ is already carefully reviewing these recommendations and determining the next steps to best implement them. In the coming weeks, NIJ will translate the recommendations into specific action plans.”