National Institute Of Justice Research Articles

Improvement of forensic medical diagnosis of projectile type injuries from automatic firearm chambered in 5.45 mm caliber through spatial 3D modeling

Spatial 3D modeling has become one of the modern and most accurate evidential methods of research, carving out its niche in various fields of medical science and practice. Therefore, our focus has been on laying the groundwork for its implementation in the process of conducting forensic medical examinations of gunshot injuries, which have garnered significant attention from all forensic physicians, particularly after unprovoked aggression from Russia and the onset of active hostilities in our country. The aim of the study was to improve the forensic medical diagnosis of projectile type in injuries from automatic firearm AKS-74U chambered in 5.45x39 mm caliber by utilizing spatial 3D modeling of specific elements within the wound channel. The entire series of experimental shots was conducted using an AKS-74U firearm, with a bullet caliber of 5.45x39 mm. As the research material, Roma Plastilina Number 1 ballistic clay, manufactured in the USA, was used for conducting standardized ballistic tests according to NIJ (National Institute of Justice) and HOSDB (Home Office Scientific Development Branch) standards. The series of experiments consisted of 15 gunshots; then the physical characteristics of the bullet, main morphological elements of the wound of skin and different portions of wound channel were investigated (195 measurements in general). The morphological features of individual elements within the wound channel were measured using conventional measurement tools, and also after their 3D modeling using graphic editors such as "Agisoft Photoscan" and "3ds max." Direct and strong correlations (ranging from 0.60 to 0.72) have been established between the initial velocity, kinetic energy, specific energy of bullet, and the diameter of the entry wound in 3D modeling, as well as the diameters of the wound channel in its central portion, measured both by conventional measuring tools and based on the results of their 3D modeling (р=0,02). Furthermore, inverse correlation relationships of moderate strength (ranging from -0.63 to -0.66) have been detected between the initial velocity, kinetic energy, specific energy, and the presence of abrasion collar around the entry wound (р=0,03). The created conditions allow to conduct the differentiation in diagnosing the type of projectile, the identification and study of new characteristics of key elements in firearm-related injuries, and improvement in measurement accuracy. They also enhance clarity and objectivity during the execution of forensic medical examinations in cases of combat-related firearm injuries.

DISCOVERY OF A NEW MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURE IN FORENSIC MEDICINE DURING THE STUDY OF GUNSHOT INJURY USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF THE WOUND CHANNEL

The use of spatial three-dimensional modeling of the main elements of a gunshot injury plays a significant part in the modern forensic medical examination. It allows not only to improve the visualization of such bodily injuries, to increase the objectivity and validity of expert conclusions, to accumulate an evidence basis for war crimes committed with the use of various types of firearms, but it also helps to discover new morphological features which couldn’t be detected when using traditional research methods. The work shows the process of detecting a new morphological feature during three-dimensional modeling of the wound channel caused by the IJ 70-01 pistol loaded with 9 mm cartridges.
 Aim of the work. Demonstration of new possibilities of three-dimensional spatial modeling in the process of the forensic investigation of a gunshot wound.
 Materials and methods. To achieve the aim of study, a series of experimental shots were fired from the IJ 70-01 automatic pistol loaded with 9 mm cartridges. To conduct bench ballistic tests according to the US standards – NIJ (National Institute of Justice), HOSDB (Home Office Scientific Development Branch) – standardized ballistic clay Roma Plastilina No.1 was used as the main material that absorbs the energy of the bullet and reproduces all the elements of wound ballistics. It was coated in pig skin with subcutaneous adipose tissue in order to recreate more true-to-life conditions of the gunshot injury. The generated wound channel was filled with Tropicalgin alginate impression material (Zhermack, Italy), which was mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions; it has short setting time and reproduces the smallest details of the wound channel. Thereafter, the formed cast of the wound channel was subjected to a series of photographs at the appropriate angles and its 3D model was created with the help of the graphic design software “Agisoft PhotoScan” and “3ds max”.
 Results. The result of the conducted studies was obtaining a spatial three-dimensional model of the gunshot wound channel, which brings about new opportunities for its research. The implementation of three-dimensional modeling techniques made it possible to discover a new morphological feature – a helical torsion of the wound channel, the direction of which can indicate specific design features of the firearm used.
 Conclusions. The implementation of three-dimensional spatial modeling in the process of a gunshot trauma investigation sets conditions for increasing visibility and objectivity during conduction of such forensic medical examinations. At the same time, new opportunities are brought about for taking linear dimensions of the existing morphological features of the wound channel main elements with extended precision, the accumulation of demonstrative evidence basis in cases of such injuries, and the discovery of new morphological features for identification of the specific design features of the firearm used.

Primary Prevention of Sex Trafficking: Time to Move the Needle on Demand Reduction

ABSTRACT Consumer-level demand reduction is positioned as the primary prevention of sex trafficking, and researchers and practitioners are implored to expand the focus on consumer-level demand in scholarship and practice. Evidence of consumer-level demand is an ever-present piece of the physical, psychological, and sexual violence that stems from the overlapping systems of prostitution and sex trafficking. While multilateral legal obligations and political commitments geared toward discouraging the demand that fosters sex trafficking exist, actions that hold sex buyers accountable have been slow-moving. Research, too, frequently ignores the glaring role of sex buyers in ringfencing sex trafficking crimes, shrouding traffickers, and obscuring victims. This commentary is informed by the author’s interspersing law enforcement and operational fieldwork dating back to 2002 and a recent study sponsored by the National Institute of Justice and completed by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s Research Institute.

Forensic Digital Analysis of Telegram Applications Using the National Institute Of Justice and Naïve Bayes Methods

Currently, Telegram is an instant messaging application that is often used by the Indonesian people as a means of long-distance communication with other users. Telegram also has good security features to protect all data from its users. However, Telegram has a positive impact on its users. This security feature can be used by several people to protect against digital crimes, especially cases of sexual harassment. To overcome the existing crimes, analysis, and forensic methods are needed to help solve crimes. This research is guided by the investigation process using the National Institute Of Justice (NIJ) method and the Naïve Bayes method to classify the conversations found. It can be concluded that MOBILedit Forensic Express has a poor performance in finding digital evidence in the Telegram application and FTK Imager is very good at finding digital evidence in the Telegram application. In this research, the classification process using the Naïve Bayes method has been able to classify conversations that contain sexual harassment or not. Evaluation of the classification method uses a confusion matrix to determine the best classification model.

Analisis Bukti Digital Direct Message Pada Twitter Menggunakan Metode National Institute Of Justice (NIJ)

Twitter is a social media application that can be used on desktop, web and smartphone systems. The large number of Twitter users makes Twitter inseparable from cyber crimes, such as pornography, online gambling, hate speech and other crimes. The purpose of this study is to conduct a forensic investigation on the Twitter Direct Message (DM) application using the NIJ method and determine the success rate of forensic tools in finding deleted data. This study uses the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) method with the stages of identification, collection, examination, analysis, and reporting assisted by forensic tools to obtain digital traces that can be used as evidence. The results obtained from this study were the discovery of evidence of deleted chats and images on Twitter DMs with a success rate of forensic tools (Magnet AXIOM and MOBILEedit) in finding these evidences of 66.66%.

Analisis Perbandingan Kinerja Root Explorer Dan Oxygen Forensic Detective Pada Forensic Digital

Rapid information and communication technology has a positive impact in the form of speed and ease of obtaining information and data by using an Android-based smartphone. But, on the other hand, it also has a negative impact in the form of cybercrime. This study aims to raise evidence of digital data and information in identifying pornographic crime cases using the Tantan app. The forensics analysis process in this study uses the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) method and 1 forensic tool, namely Oxygen Forensics Detective. The research scenario is the occurrence of pornography crimes. The research scenario is the occurrence of pornography crimes. This research succeeded in finding evidence in the form of photographs, videos, music, contacts, and chats. Testing using the Oxygen Forensic Detective tool, where the data taken on the Android pad uses the help of the Root Explorer application

Digital Forensic Investigates Sexual Harassment on Telegram using Naïve Bayes

The widespread use of Telegram in Indonesia has had both positive and negative effects. While the app offers strong security features, it has also become a platform for digital crimes, including sexual harassment. This study aims to address the need for effective forensic analysis and classification methods by employing the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) methodology and Naïve Bayes classifier to analyze conversations on Telegram. The research evaluates the performance of digital forensic tools and the effectiveness of the Naïve Bayes method in identifying instances of sexual harassment conversation. The data analyzed is about conversations on the telegram application that contain sexual harassment. Data collection involves extracting relevant conversations and subjecting them to forensic analysis using MOBIL edit Forensic Express and FTK Imager. Based on the test results, the naïve Bayes algorithm can be used to classify conversations into positive and negative about sexual harassment. The value obtained from naïve Bayes testing is the accuracy value of 91.3%, Precision 100%, and Recall 90%.

Imperfect Tools: A Research Note on Developing, Applying, and Increasing Understanding of Criminal Justice Risk Assessments

This article shares considerations for designing, implementing, and understanding risk assessments used to reduce recidivism of people under community supervision. These insights are gleaned from 27 data scientists who participated in focus groups during the National Institute of Justice’s Recidivism Challenge Winners Symposium. Analyses revealed three primary themes: design considerations, implementation, and increasing awareness and understanding of risk assessments. Critical aspects of the design phase include validating the tool, incorporating field data that account for real-time changes, and adopting strategies to address false positives/negatives and the model’s complexity. Upon the tool’s development, practitioners are recommended to devise an implementation plan, balance attention to risk with client-focused needs, and exercise modest discretion while considering algorithmic results. Recognizing the value predictive instruments bring to decision-making and identifying their limitations is needed to increase understanding for all stakeholders. Collaboration and dialogue between tool developers and practitioners are crucial at every stage.

Weak State as a Security Threat: Study Case of El Salvador (2014-2019)

Weak State as a Security Threat: Study Case of El Salvador (2014-2019)

0058 The sleepy eyewitness: Self-reported sleep predicts eyewitness memory

Abstract Introduction Sleep is critical for memory, but research indicates that eyewitness identification may be an exception. We conducted three experiments to assess the effect of self-reported sleep duration and quality, and current sleepiness on eyewitness recall for a mock crime and suspect identification. Experiments 1 and 2 looked at pre-encoding sleep on lineups and showups, respectively. Experiment 3 investigated lineups across two days to assess retrieval effects. Methods Participants viewed a mock crime video then answered sleep questions as well as central and peripheral recall questions over the crime. Participants were then randomly assigned to view a fair 6-person target-present (TP) or target-absent (TA) lineup for experiments 1 and 3, or a TP or TA showup for experiment 2. In experiment 3, the recall questions and lineups occurred on day 2, but the sleep questions were asked both days. Decision confidence was provided after the identification procedure. Results Sleep quality predicted central recall for experiment 1 [F(1, 3834)=12.96, p<.001] whereas sleep quantity predicted central recall for experiment 2, F(1, 2712)=36.22, p< .001. Choosing rate for pre-encoding sleep was higher for low quality [X2(1)=29.10, p<.001] and low duration [X2(1)=20.15, p<.001], but false IDs were lower for high duration [X2(1)=29.76, p<.001] and high quality, X2(1)=35.47, p<.001. High quality self-reported sleep increased discriminability for lineups, G=2.14, p=.016. False IDs for showups were lower for high duration [X2(1)=5.27, p=.024] and all three sleep questions predicted discriminability for showups: more sleep (G=2.85, p=.002), better sleep (G=2.60, p=.005), and less sleepiness, G=2.44, p=.007. Showups had greater accuracy (p=.038) and a stronger confidence-accuracy relationship (p<.001) for the average of the “good sleep” conditions than the average of the three “bad sleep” conditions, p=.022. In experiment 3, involving post-encoding self-reported sleep, there were still effects on recall but minimal effects on eyewitness identification (and no effects on discriminability). Conclusion Self-reported sleep for the night prior to the crime could be an important individual difference variable for eyewitness memory, affecting encoding more than post-encoding processes. Support (if any) This project was supported by Grant 2018-R2-CX-0027 awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and U.S. Department of Justice.

Discouraging the Demand That Fosters Sex Trafficking: Collaboration through Augmented Intelligence

Augmented intelligence—as the fusion of human and artificial intelligence—is effectively being employed in response to a spectrum of risks and crimes that stem from the online sexual exploitation marketplace. As part of a study that was sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation has documented 15 tactics that have been used in more than 2650 US cities and counties to deter sex buyers from engaging with prostitution and sex trafficking systems. One of these tactics, technology-based enforcement and deterrence methods, has been used in more than 78 locations in the United States. This paper explores the issue of technology-facilitated trafficking in the online sexual exploitation marketplace and juxtaposes this with the use of augmented intelligence in collaborative responses to these crimes. Illustrative case studies are presented that describe how two organizations employ technology that utilizes the complementary strengths of humans and machines to deter sex buyers at the point of purchase. The human(e) touch of these organizations, combined with artificial intelligence, natural language processing, constructed websites, photos, and mobile technology, show significant potential for operational scaling, and provide a template for consideration by law enforcement agencies, criminal justice systems, and the larger multidisciplinary counter-trafficking community for collaborative replication in other settings.

The impact of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training on police use of force

This study examined the level of force used by Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and non-CIT officers responding to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis (N = 382). Level of force was coded using National Institute of Justice (2009) strategy, least to most lethal. Analyses examined differences in officers’ use of force by CIT-training status and citizen characteristics. Results indicated CIT-trained officers were less likely to use any level of force and more likely to use the lowest level of force, compared to non-CIT-trained officers. CIT-trained officers were significantly less likely to escalate to higher levels of force, utilizing the lowest level of force more often.

Potential of natural fiber composite materials for bulletproof vest applications

The bulletproof vest material that is often used is a composite material. Composites are a mixture of two or more material elements, with different mechanical properties, which aim to obtain new materials that have better mechanical properties than the constituent materials. One alternative mixture of materials in composite materials is to use natural fibers as a substitute for kevlar fibers. In Indonesia, which has a tropical climate, natural fibers are very easy to obtain from various kinds of plants found in Indonesia. Along with the many plants obtained, a lot of waste is also produced because of this. So research was conducted on the utilization of the potential of natural fibers for alternative composites. With the experimental method, from the results of the experiment, the results obtained from the five natural fibers that have been discussed, namely pineapple leaf fiber, water hyacinth fiber, bark fiber, hemp fiber, and bamboo fiber, only pineapple leaf fiber has not met the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard, while the other four natural fibers have met the NIJ standard for bulletproof vests.

ANALISIS DATA FORENSIK INVESTIGASI KASUS PEREDARAN NARKOBA PADA SMARTPHONE BERBASIS ANDROID

Along with the development of Smartphone technology, especially Android-based which is a communication tool whose features develop from time to time with a total of 89.2% of users, which is also followed by an increase in users of the WhatsApp Instant Messaging Platform. WhatsApp is one of the most popular social media in the world with a total of 2.20 billion users. On the other hand, WhatsApp is often used as a medium of crime (cybercrime) such as the case of narcotics trafficking, whose transactions are carried out online by sending messages, pictures, videos, locations and so on. The purpose of this study is to find forensic evidence and to compare two tools using the (Without Root Access) and (Root Access) approaches, using the NIJ (National Institute of Justice) method. The results of the extraction were then analyzed using the forensic tools Magnet Axiom without Rooting access managed to obtain data extraction of 33.33% while MobilEdit forensics was equal to a total of 33.33%. While the comparison with Rooting access, Magnet Axiom obtained greater data extraction as much as 77.77% and MobilEdit Forensic as much as 66.66%. The results of the study based on the scenario used, it can be concluded that the recommended tool is Magnet Axiom because it has better performance

ANALISIS KEAMANAN BROWSER DALAM BERSOSIAL MEDIA MENGGUNAKAN METODE INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE (NIJ)

Active users of social media in Indonesia continue to increase every year. But there are still many users who do not understand the security of accessing social media, especially when accessing with a browser. For this reason, the browsers analyzed in this study are the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers with two modes, namely public mode and incognito mode. This study aims to identify the level of browser security in using social media in the browser. The method used is the NIJ (National Institute of Justice) methodology. The tool used to get the data is using the FTK Imager 4.5.0.3 application. The results of this study are when accessing social media Facebook, Instagram, Twitter is not safe using Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers with public mode and incognito mode because user_id, email and some passwords are still detected in the FTK Imager tool. For the percentage results obtained in the study, namely 89% of user_id data, passwords, emails found in public mode Google Chrome browsers, 67% data found in incognito mode Google Chrome browsers, 78% data found in public mode Mozilla Firefox browsers, and 89% of data found in Mozilla Firefox browser incognito mode.Keywords: Live Forensics; Institute of Justice; Browser; Media Sosial; FTK Imager

Taking the microfluidic approach to nucleic acid analysis in forensics: Review and perspectives

Forensic laboratories are universally acknowledged as being overburdened, underfunded, and in need of improved analytical methods to expedite investigations, decrease the costs associated with nucleic acid (NA) analysis, and perform human identification (HID) at the point of need (e.g., crime scene, booking station, etc.). In response, numerous research and development (R&D) efforts have resulted in microfluidic tools that automate portions of the forensic genetic workflow, including DNA extraction, amplification, and short tandem repeat (STR) typing. By the early 2000 s, reports from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) anticipated that microfluidic ‘swab-in-profile-out’ systems would be available for use at the crime scene by 2015 and the FBI’s 2010 ‘Rapid DNA’ Initiative, approved by Congress in 2017, directed this effort by guiding the development and implementation of maturing systems. At present, few fully-automated microfluidic DNA technologies are commercially available for forensic HID and their adoption by agencies interested in identification has been limited. In practice, the integration of complex laboratory processes to produce one autonomous unit, along with the highly variable nature of forensic input samples, resulted in systems that are more expensive per sample and not comparable to gold-standard identification methods in terms of sensitivity, reproducibility, and multiplex capability. This Review and Perspective provides insight into the contributing factors to this outcome; namely, we focus on the complications associated with the tremendous undertaking that is developing a sample-in-answer-out platform for HID. For context, we also describe the intricate forensic landscape that contributes to a nuanced marketplace, not easily distilled down to cases of simple supply and demand. Moving forward and considering the trade-offs associated with developing methods to compete, sometimes directly, with conventional ones, we recommend a focus shift for microfluidics developers toward the creation of innovative solutions for emerging applications in the field to increase the bandwidth of the forensic investigative toolkit. Likewise, we urge case working personnel to reframe how they conceptualize the currently available Rapid DNA tools; rather than comparing these microfluidic methods to gold-standard procedures, take advantage of their rapid and integrated modes for those situations requiring expedited identifications in an informed manner.

A Comparative Analysis of Digital Forensic Investigation Tools on Facebook Messenger Applications

Technological developments make it easier for people to communicate and share information. Facebook Messenger is an instant messenger that contains multi-platform for sending text, image, sound, and video messages. Besides being used for positive purposes, this technology can also be used to carry out harmful activities. This study conducts a forensic investigation on a crime simulation in pornographic content distribution using Facebook Messenger as a communication medium on Android smartphones. Perpetrators communicate and send pornographic content in the shape of conversations, audio, and video, then delete them to eliminate traces. Every crime can leave evidence therefore after erasing the track, it can be revealed through digital forensic investigations on the smartphone devices that are used as objects to find digital evidence. The collection of evidence in this study is used four forensic tools with the research stages the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) framework. The study result can be used as evidence by investigators on handling criminal cases with the results obtained in the shape of application versions, accounts, emails, conversation, time of occurrence, pictures, audio, and video. MOBILedit Forensic Express has an accuracy of 84.85%, Wondershare Dr. Fone 36.36%, Magnet Axiom 75.76%, and Belkasoft Evidence Center 69.70%.

Use of chemically tempered porcelain tiles in ballistic protection

A candidate for an armor material should present a lower density, a suitable ballistic performance, and low cost. Porcelain tiles might be an alternative considering their outstanding technical properties and availability. To the best of our knowledge, the use of porcelain tiles was explored for the first time as an armor material. The tests were carried out with reference and chemical-tempered samples. A chemical tempering procedure was applied to improve the impact and mechanical properties. The procedure consists of a cation exchange of sodium and potassium ions, as confirmed by chemical analysis (EDX). Mechanical properties, hardness, and flexural strength were measured. The depth of penetration (DOP) test was used to verify the ballistic protection offered by porcelain tiles. A projectile was fired into a ceramic tile backed by a semi-infinite block in the test. The residual penetration into the backing material was measured and compared to the penetration of the projectile into a monolithic block of the backing material. The test was carried out with 7.62 × 51 mm NATO-FMJ (North Atlantic Treaty Organization - Full Metal Jacket) ammunition specified for NIJ (National Institute of Justice – USA) level III body armor. After chemical tempering, the potassium concentration on the material surface increases. Chemical tempered samples showed an increase in mechanical properties and ballistic performance when compared to untreated ceramic tiles. The flexural strength was 129 ± 8 MPa for the reference material and 143 ± 14 MPa for the chemical tempered material, an increase of 10%; the hardness was HV 8.5 ± 0.9 MPa and 12.7 ± 0.5 MPa respectively, an increase of 49%; and the ballistic efficiency factor (q2) was 2.74 ± 0.72 and 3.22 ± 0.5 respectively, an increase of 17%.

Do thoracoabdominal organ boundaries differ between males and females? Implications for body armour coverage and design

To optimise fit and protection of body armour systems, knowledge of the location of thoracoabdominal organ boundaries is required. The aims of this study were (i) determine the effect of sex on essential and desirable thoracoabdominal organ boundaries, and (ii) compare essential thoracoabdominal organ boundaries with small and large hard ballistic plate sizes from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and determine if coverage requirements differ between sexes. 33 males and 33 females underwent supine magnetic resonance imaging of their thoracoabdominal organs. Male participants on average displayed more laterally and inferiorly positioned essential and desirable organ boundaries than females. Based on NIJ plate sizes, insufficient coverage of essential organs was identified for male and female participants. A greater range of body armour sizes and designs that better cater to the diverse anatomy of soldier populations is warranted, but must be considered in the context of ergonomic and performance implications.

Evaluating implementation of the EPIC peer bystander intervention program in basic law enforcement training (BLET)

ABSTRACT Mandated by a consent decree, the Ethical Policing is Courageous (EPIC) program was developed by the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). The EPIC curriculum is based on active bystandership, encouraging officers to intervene when police misconduct could potentially occur. This research sought to evaluate the EPIC program recently adopted in one state. An adapted integrity measuring instrument from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) developed by Klockars et al. was used to compare officers who have recently completed the ethics programming being phased out against officers who participated in the EPIC program. Results indicate a significant difference in the areas of reporting and intervening with respect to excessive force. Implications for further research are also provided.