News

New Report on Police Contacts with the Public

BJS has released the Police-Public Contact Survey, 2022 dataset. The Police-Public Contact Survey (PPCS) provides detailed information on the nature and characteristics of contacts between police and the public, including the reason for, and the outcome of, the contact and the respondent’s satisfaction with the contact. With data from this collection, users can estimate the likelihood of different types of contact, including contact involving the use of nonfatal force by police, for residents with different demographic characteristics. The PPCS collects…


FBI Publishes 2023 Cryptocurrency Fraud Report

The FBI recently released its Cryptocurrency Fraud Report for 2023. In 2023, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 69,000 complaints from the public regarding cyber-enabled crime and financial fraud involving the use of cryptocurrency, with over $5.6 billion in reported losses.  Criminal actors exploit cryptocurrencies for all schemes, to include tech support, confidence and romance, investment, and government impersonation scams. Investment fraud was the most reported cryptocurrency scheme in 2023 and also saw the most reported losses, with about $3.9 billion lost. “Scams targeting investors who use…


Evaluation of Applied De-escalation Tactics Train-the-Trainer Program for the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC)

This publication is a mixed methods evaluation of the Applied De-escalation Tactics train-the-trainer course delivered through the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC). Three 2021 sessions of this law enforcement de-escalation training were studied and their effects of this train-the-trainer model were found to be consistent across different groups of officers. Training surveys demonstrate that officers were satisfied with the skills they gained and felt confident that the program provided the information they needed to teach de-escalation. All of…


CRS Announces Publication of New Guide for Navigating Campus Conflicts

The Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS) has released Navigating Conflicts: A Guide for Campus Leaders and Public Safety Personnel which is a framework to help campus leaders and public safety professionals understand conflicts and make informed decisions to address them. It was developed in partnership with the Divided Community Project at The Ohio State University.  The Guide offers campus administration and public safety leaders a framework, supported by practical ideas and tools, for dealing with campus conflict as…


COPS Office Releases Resource on Victim-Centered and Trauma-Informed Response

Law enforcement personnel must be prepared to respond appropriately and supportively to persons who have experienced trauma. Victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches give law enforce­ment the necessary tools to provide this support. This publication, Identifying and Incorporating Core Principles of Victim-Centered and Trauma-Informed Response: Practices for Law Enforcement, provides a streamlined set of best practices from the field for first responders, evidence collection teams, investigators, supervisors, and agencies related to victim response efforts. Download a copy of this publication.


CRS Announces Publication of New Guide for Navigating Campus Conflicts

The Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS) has released Navigating Conflicts: A Guide for Campus Leaders and Public Safety Personnel which is a framework to help campus leaders and public safety professionals understand conflicts and make informed decisions to address them. It was developed in partnership with the Divided Community Project at The Ohio State University.  The Guide offers campus administration and public safety leaders a framework, supported by practical ideas and tools, for dealing with campus conflict as…


American Policing 2054: Advancing Community Policing Over the Next 30 Years

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of its establishment, the COPS Office invited community members and leaders in law enforcement, public safety research and civil rights to contemplate the next 30 years in American policing. This publication collects essays by a variety of contributors from all ranks of law enforcement as well as researchers and civic and civil rights leaders, all of whom touched on one or more principles of community policing – organizational change, problem solving or partnerships – and…


Study Connects Head Injuries and Mental Health Challenges among Law Enforcement Officers

A new study is the first to shed light on the high prevalence of head injuries and related mental health symptoms in a previously overlooked population when it comes to concussion surveillance: law enforcement officers. The survey of Ohio law enforcement officers found that 74% reported a lifetime history of one or more head injuries and 30% had a head injury which happened on the job. Many more of these injuries went unreported than were treated by a health care…


Public Safety and Elections: A Guide for Law Enforcement

Developed by the National Policing Institute (NPI), this report is a comprehensive public safety resource based on peer-to-peer learning from law enforcement leaders. The report offers valuable, tested insights for agencies and officials preparing for a safe and secure election season. It aims to provide law enforcement leaders with strategies to adapt their existing expertise to the election context, recognize the diversity of local laws and community expectations, and effectively balance public safety with citizens’ constitutional rights. Download a full…


Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator, 2024

The NIJ and its multidisciplinary partners have released an updated technical guide for conducting collaborative death scene investigations. The 2024 guide accounts for key changes in the field, including advances in DNA technology, communication and documentation technology; procedures for drug, child and infant death investigations; and collaboration between investigators and professional partners, families and the media.  This revised edition is a collaborative effort to update the content to ensure the best possible outcome for both death and criminal investigations today. Download…