The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) — the science funding agency of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) — is a leading federal funder of external research and development in the forensic sciences. Investment in R&D can lead to faster or more accurate methods to identify, capture, charge, and convict the true perpetrators of crime, which increases public safety and helps prevent wrongful convictions. NIJ’s forensic science R&D portfolio spans a broad range, from fundamental research with the potential for forensic application, to the development of prototype devices, to the validation of novel instruments and methods.<br/>Forensic science is a collection of applied disciplines that draws from all branches of science. Nevertheless, forensic scientists most often tend to be concerned with the detection, collection, separation, and analysis of chemical and biological samples. Because of the unique circumstances of forensic evidence, there is an ongoing need for these analyses to be done on ever smaller, degraded or mixed samples. Balancing this is the need to ensure that the analytical methods applied to these challenging samples are rigorously validated and defensible in a courtroom context. These needs drive NIJ’s continuing investments in analytical chemistry for forensic application.<br/>Since the publication of the influential National Academies report <i>Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward </i>in 2009, NIJ has funded over 600 forensic science R&D grants, for a total of nearly $270M. A large portion of this portfolio, especially in controlled substances, forensic toxicology, and trace chemical and materials analysis, has been directly served by analytical chemistry research. Advances in mass spectrometry, separations, applied spectroscopy, microscopy and microfluidics, have already yielded or show promise for forensic application, and NIJ anticipates continued interest in advancing these technologies and others for forensic application. In this effort, NIJ strives to engage the analytical chemistry community to bring novel perspectives to solving forensic problems. An overview of NIJ’s R&D portfolio will be presented, highlighting relevant examples in Trace Evidence (fibers, glass, paint, dust, etc.); Seized Drugs and Toxicology (including cannabis and cannabinoids, opioids, novel psychoactive substances, etc.); and Forensic Biology. Information on the funding cycle and anticipated funding opportunities will be presented.

Forensic science applications of analytical chemistry: Funding opportunities at the National Institute of Justice

ACS Spring 2022

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