National Institute of Justice

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ or the Institute) is the research, evaluation, and technology agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. The mission of the Institute is to foster and disseminate knowledge and tools derived from objective and rigorous scientific research to inform efforts that promote safety and advance justice. The Institute's pursuit of its mission is guided by the following principles: - **Relevant:** Research can make a difference in individual lives, in the safety of communities, and in creating a more effective and fair justice system. - **Responsive:** The Institute's research agenda should respond to the needs of victims, communities, criminal and juvenile justice professionals, and people who are arrested, charged, and convicted of criminal offenses. - **Rigorous:** The Institute should encourage and support innovative and rigorous research methods that can provide answers to basic research questions as well as practical, applied solutions to crime and justice challenges. - **Collaborative:** Partnerships with other agencies and organizations, public and private, are essential to the Institute's success. - **Fair and Open:** Government-funded research should adhere to processes of fair and open competition guided by rigorous peer review. - **Ethical:** Principles of scientific integrity are essential to the validity and relevance of the knowledge generated by the Institute. NIJ-supported researchers must demonstrate research independence and integrity, including appropriate human subject protection safeguards.