OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for rigorous basic or applied research and development projects. An NIJ forensic science research and development grant supports a discrete, specified, circumscribed project that will:
- Increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science policy and practice; or
- Lead to the production of useful material(s), device(s), system(s), or method(s) that have the potential for forensic application.
The intent of this program is to direct the findings of basic scientific research; foster research and development in broader scientific fields applicable to forensic science; and support ongoing forensic science research toward the development of highly-discriminating, accurate, reliable, cost-effective, and rapid methods for the identification, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence for criminal justice purposes.
Proposals are expected to identify the focus areas (e.g., forensic science discipline(s)) intended to benefit from the project. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- DNA and forensic biology
- Forensic crime scene analysis
- Forensic anthropology and forensic odontology
- Bloodstain pattern analysis
- Seized drugs
- Fire debris analysis and arson scene investigations
- Firearms and toolmark identification
- Latent print
- Shoeprint/tire tread examination
- Questioned documents
- Trace evidence
- Forensic toxicology
- Medicolegal death investigations, including forensic pathology
- Digital/multimedia evidence
- Wildlife forensics
Indicators of successful proposals may include relationships/collaborations with operational, accredited crime laboratories, and demonstrated abilities to produce scholarly products. While the goals and deliverables of proposed projects are not required to result in immediate solutions to the posted challenges and needs, proposals should at a minimum address the foundational work that will lead to eventual solutions.
In FY 2022, NIJ provided over $11.6 million to fund research and development projects related to forensic science.
Additional research needs of the forensic science community can be found at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees website. Although the goals and deliverables of proposed projects are not required to result in immediate solutions to the posted challenges and needs, proposals should, at a minimum, address the foundational work that will lead to eventual solutions.