Institutional Correction Facilities and Staff
Institutional corrections facilities include prisons and jails. Prisons are state or federal housing facilities that confine convicted felons with sentences typically longer than a year. Jails are administered by local law enforcement and hold offenders with shorter sentences — usually for 1 year or less — and those awaiting trial.
NIJ's research and development program responds to the needs of corrections practitioners and to the changing nature of corrections. NIJ sponsors research which aims to improve the management of correctional facilities at the state and local level; understanding the impact of technology in improving staff and inmate safety; and how state and federal legislation, for example, the Prison Rape Elimination Act, affects safety and security and administration of policies and procedures.
Learn more about:
Contraband Control and Detection
Detecting Drugs on Surfaces Quickly and Easily
An Introduction to Portal Contraband Detection Technology (pdf, 4 pages)
Walk-Through Metal Detectors Standard: current NIJ Standard-0601.02, updated standard under development
Hand-Held Metal Detectors Standard: current NIJ Standard-0602.02, updated standard under development
Monitoring Inmates
Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003
Research Findings on Prison Rape
Ongoing Prison Rape Research, Future Directions
Officer Safety and Effectiveness
Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor That Complies With NIJ Ballistic Resistance Standard, 0101.06
Stab-Resistent Body Body Armor That Complies With NIJ Stab Resistance Standard, 0115.00
Research and Evaluation Results on Body Armor
Current and Future Research on Body Armor
Standards and Testing for Body Armor
0101.06, NIJ Standard, Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Armor
0115.00, NIJ Standard, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor