Louisville Marriott Downtown
August 3-5, 2008

The 2008 National Forum on Criminal Justice and Public Safety focused on "No More Victims-Standing Up to Violent Crime." This is the only criminal justice conference that brings together public safety practitioners; agency staff from the state, local and federal levels; and leaders in the private sector to focus on responding to violent crime that is plaguing our communities today and on preventing these problems in the future.

Sponsored by The National Criminal Justice Association and the IJIS Institute in conjunction with the Bureau of Justice Assistance this conference showcased ideas and strategies that provided solutions in the fight against violent crime. Conference participants learned about programs that are working in communities across the country and brought home ideas that can be implemented immediately.

Topics at the 2008 conference included targeting gang violence, school and campus safety, intelligence led policing, public health planning, violent crime in Indian country and much, much more.

Many of these sessions had power point presentations that are available for download:

Research Evidence for Violent Crime Policy
This panel session examined three lines of research with important implications for policies about violent crime: police gang task forces and the intersection of violent offenders and property crimes.The purpose of this session is to generate discussion among policy makers, practitioners, and researchers about the evidence for criminal justice policies designed to reduce violent crime.
> Scott Decker, Professor and Director, ASU School of Criminology & Criminal Justice
> John Roman, Sr. Research Associate, Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center

Protecting Your Community - How It All Fits Together
Presentation on the major national programs advancing the use of standards and technology to support information sharing in the justice, public safety, and homeland security sectors.  Updates on major programs, including the FBI’s National Data Exchange (N-DEx), the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM), and Intelligence Fusion will be presented. Full Presentation
> Robert P. Boehmer, Director, Institute for Public Safety Partnerships; Chair, Global Advisory Committee
> Paul S. Embley, Chief Information Officer and Director of Technology, National Center for State Courts
> Bruce Kelling, Chair, IJIS Institute N-DEx Advisory Committee
> SSA Edward Waigand, N-DEx Data Standards Manager, FBI/CJIS

Essential Guidance for Partnering with Faith-Based Organizations
In this session participants learned how to stretch your program dollars by partnering with faith-based and other community organizations and still comply with the Constitution. Participants learned about the U.S. Department of Justice’s Equal Treatment Regulations, the ability of faith-based organizations to consider religion when hiring staff for government-funding programs, how voucher programs work and their benefits, and answers to frequently asked questions. In addition, state administrators discussed how the President’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative has impacted their work.
> Robert Siedlecki, Senior Legal Counsel, Task Force For Faith-Based And Community Initiatives, U.S. Dept. of Justice
> Mark Fero, Grants Manager, Office of the Attorney General of VA

Technology as a Weapon in the Fight Against Violent Crime
Presentation on the increased effectiveness in fighting violent crime through the integration of advanced analytics, information sharing and enabling technologies to predict, prevent and solve crime.  Case study examples of proven methods of law enforcement will be featured.
> Lt. Cheryl Newman, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, CA
> David Heffner & Fred Johnston, CODY Systems
> Thomas Quinn, Vice Chairman, Datamaxx Group, Inc.
> Capt. Mitch Cunningham, Director, Information Support and Analysis Division, Montgomery County Police, MD

Justice Reinvestment
Justice Reinvestment is a project of the Council of State Government’s Justice Center (CSG/JC), funded though the Bureau of Justice Assistance with assistance from private foundations. The project allows CSG/JC to work closely with states as they assess their correctional needs and offender populations. Key stakeholders within the state come together with CSG/JC staff to determine how to limit rising prison populations, thereby eliminating the need for new prison construction and reinvesting in community-based supervision and services for offenders. In addition to this work, CSG/JC staff and state officials assess which communities, offenders are returning, allowing the reinvestment to occur in those communities. The project addresses such issues as prison overcrowding, offender assessment, community partnerships, housing and financial obligations faced by offenders, and leveraging of resources to best meet the needs of the state and its communities to ensure public safety is not jeopardized.
> Andrew Molloy, Associate Deputy Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance
> Marshall Clement, Project Director, Council of State Governments

Inside the Beltway
NCJA staff will reviewed and discussed Congressional activities that will affect state, local, and tribal criminal justice policy makers and practitioners.  This discussion included the status of the FY2009 appropriations for the federal criminal justice assistance programs including the Byrne JAG Program, OJJDP formula and block grant programs, the Violence Against Women Act grant programs, the Victims of Crime Act programs and the COPS program. Full Presentation
> Cabell Cropper, Executive Director, National Criminal Justice Association
> Elizabeth Pyke, Sr. Manager for Government Affairs, National Criminal Justice Association

Working to Provide On-Campus Security
In April 2007, the nation was shocked by the murder of over 30 students and faculty members at Virginia Tech. Since then, college campuses and communities have worked on plans and strategies to prevent and respond to violence on campus. This workshop looked at the key preparedness lessons learned from Virginia Tech; what steps universities are taking to make students and staff safe, and how the efforts of educational institutions fit into broader strategies to prevent and respond to mass casualty incidents.
> Kenneth E. Brown, Assistant Chief of Police, University of Louisville, Police Department
> Ian M. Hay, President, SouthEast Emergency Response Network
> Hollis Stambaugh, Director, Center for Public Protection, System Planning Corporation and the TriData Division

9-1-1 is More Than a Call for Help
Presentation on the critical role of the country’s 6,500 emergency communications centers in providing real time incident information to public safety and homeland security, and the value of standards based data interoperability in this area.  Discussion included updates on the status of BJA-sponsored Public Safety Data Interoperability (PSDI) initiative. Full Presentation
> Bill Kellett, Technology Architect, Microsoft & Chair, PSDI Committee
> Chief Harlin McEwen, Chairman, Communications and Technology Committee, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
> Kevin McGinnis, Technology Advisor, National Association of State EMS Officials
> Jim Slater, Chief Information Officer, MA Executive Office of Public Safety and Security

Intelligence-Led Policing
What is intelligence-led policing? Who is doing it? How is it relevant to my department? This session answered these questions with a discussion of the theory and the practice of intelligence-led policing. Following this session, participants were able to: 1) Understand the concept of intelligence-led policing; 2) Understand its application to violent crime investigation and prevention; and 3) Learn about intelligence-led policing efforts of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Targeting Violent Crime Initiative Task Forces.
> Michael Medaris, Senior Policy Advisor, Bureau of Justice Assistance
> Capt. Larry Casterline, High Point, NC Police Department

Emerging Technologies
Panel discussion on the application of various technological capabilities in support of targeted aspects of crime reduction. Discussion included advance identification technologies, forensics, automatic license plate readers, video surveillance and others.
> Matt D’Alessandro, Business Development Manager, Motorola Corp.; Chair, IJIS Emerging Technologies Committee
> John Crouse, Vice President, ACS Government Solutions; Co-chair, IJIS Emerging Technologies Committee
> William Haffey, Sr. Technical Director, Global Solutions Engineering, SPSS Inc.
> Iveta Topalova (PP One/ PP Two), Enterprise Architect, Analysts International

State Data Sources for Research on Violent Offenders
Panelists discussed ways in which Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) use data to inform state decision makers about a range of issues related to violent offenders.
> Robert McManus, Director, Statistical Analysis Center, SC Dept. of Public Safety
> Stan Orchowsky, Research Director, Justice Research and Statistics Association
> Paul Stageberg, Ph.D., Administrator, IA Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning

Public Health and Critical Planning in the Criminal Justice System
Public health emergencies present unique challenges to public safety and criminal justice systems. Such crises may require a rapid coordinated response among various state, local, tribal, and federal agencies, but particularly between public health and justice sectors. This requires that all facets of these systems have a well-developed, coordinated plan in place, and that each sector and agency know its role in response to the emergency. This workshop highlighted the need for critical planning and provided guidance to assist criminal justice officials in their joint planning efforts with public health.
> Larry Moser, Major, Fairfax County Police, Virginia
> Dr. Dean Sienko, MD, MS, Medical Director/Chief Medical Examiner, Ingham County, MI Health Dept.

Targeting Gang Violence
The rise in violent crime is challenging federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement.  This gang activity differs in significant ways from earlier gang violence.  Communities are seeing gangs made up of younger people and gangs with international connections and roots.  This workshop examined a federal strategy that combines targeting, coordinating, and enforcing to respond to rising gang violence and community-based programs that are working to prevent youth from becoming gang-involved.
> Capt. Mark Bridgeman, Fayetteville Police Department, NC
> Adam W. Cohen, Director, National Gang Targeting Enforcement & Coordination Center, U.S. Dept. of Justice
> Robin S. Engel, Ph.D., Director, University of Cincinnati Policing Institute

The Significance of Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) in Crime Reduction
Presentation on the value to U.S. communities of joining state and major urban area Fusion Centers in an “All Crimes” intelligence- based prevention mission.  The role of law enforcement at all levels was discussed in this session. Full Presentation
> Sgt. Lance Ladines, Supervisor, Washington Joint Analytical Center, WA State Patrol
> Joan T. McNamara, Assistant Commanding Officer, Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau, Los Angeles Police Department, CA
> Sharad Rao, President & CEO, Tetrus Consulting
> Larry Shaw, Inspector, FL Dept. of Law Enforcement

School and Campus Safety: Tools to Promote a Safer Learning Environment
While, statistically, schools and college campuses continue to be one of the most secure places for our children, local law enforcement agencies have been asked to take an increasingly prominent role in ensuring school safety. With the recent events on campus grounds, parents and law enforcement have a renewed focus on safety. Working together, school and campus communities and their law enforcement partners can better anticipate and prepare for when, where, or how schools may become targets of a violent act. This session focused on school and campus safety, preparing for and responding to acts of violence, policy implications of the different options available to law enforcement and public safety professionals, and provide participants with knowledge and tools for use in their communities. It also highlighted the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Program supported by BJA.
> David Adams, Senior Policy Advisor, Bureau of Justice Assistance
> John Curnutt, ALERRT Instructor, Texas State University- San Marcos

Violent Crime in Indian Country
Tribal nations are struggling with increasing violent crime rates just like their counterparts in federal, state, and local governments.  Tribal justice officials are facing additional obstacles in responding to and preventing violent crime in Indian Country because of overlapping jurisdictions and a lack of resources.  Experts in tribal law enforcement discussed the nature and extent of violent crime on tribal lands and strategies being put in place to respond to and prevent these crimes.
> Reno Charette, Native American Studies Program Coordinator, MT State University, Billings
> Dyanne Greer, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona
> Capt. Greg Toya, NM Department of Public Safety, State Police

Informed Policing in U.S. Communities
Presentation on the value of sharing and utilizing information to measure and determine the effectiveness of policing strategies in the reduction and prevention of crime.  Discussion explored how a focus on key components of crime analysis and new hypotheses, enhanced by the sharing of information within and across relevant jurisdictions, can improve the effectiveness of law enforcement in the community. Full Presentation
> H. Dean Crisp, Jr., Chief of Police (Ret.), City of Columbia, SC
> Bill Kellett, Technology Architect, Microsoft
> Peter Schaffer, Oracle Corporation

Measuring the Cost-Benefit of Justice Initiatives
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a powerful tool for demonstrating the value of justice initiatives. CBA can determine whether the benefits of an initiative outweigh the costs, and provides the basis for demonstrating a program’s return on investment. This workshop provided attendees with a practical understanding of CBA and how it can be used to inform decision-making and sustain effective efforts. Participants were introduced to key CBA terms, concepts, and applications, as well as the fundamental principles and procedures used to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. Participants learned about the value and limitations of CBA for decision making and how return on investment data can be used to more fully demonstrate the value of programs that work. CBA’s role in the evidence-based movement will also be discussed.
> Roger Przybylski, Consultant, RKC Group
> Robert Swisher, Director, Policy & Research Section, OH Office of Criminal Justice Services

Thank you to those participants who filled out the Forum evaluation. Based on your responses, the 2008 Forum was a huge success! We are already using your comments and suggestions in planning next year's conference. To see an overview of the evaluation responses,  click here.

We look forward to seeing you next year August 9-11, 2009 in Bellevue, Washington!

For even more information about the Forum visit our new National Forum companion site here.