NIJ Journal No. 253 • January 2006

The following books were produced, in whole or in part, from research funded by the National Institute of Justice.

Identifying Victims Using DNA: A Guide for Families

April 2005

This 8-page booklet, part of the President’s DNA Initiative, explains the process of identifying remains using DNA analysis. It gives an overview of the process so that surviving family and friends will understand what DNA analysis can and cannot do, describes the sources of DNA that forensic scientists might use, and explains the differences between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.

American Indian Suicides in Jail: Can Risk Screening Be Culturally Sensitive?

June 2005

Do jail inmates’ cultural backgrounds affect how they react to authorities’ attempts to assess their risk for suicide? A recent NIJ study found that the screening questionnaire used by a county jail located near Indian lands failed to elicit direct responses about personal matters from American Indian detainees. Findings suggest that tailoring suicide risk assessment protocols to the cultural backgrounds of detainee populations might be more effective.

Mass Fatality Incidents: A Guide for Human Forensic Identification Technical Working Group for Mass Fatality Forensic Identification

June 2005

In a mass fatality incident, correct victim identification is essential to satisfy humanitarian considerations, meet civil and criminal investigative needs, and identify victim perpetrators. This 96-page Special Report provides medical examiners/coroners with guidelines for preparing the portion of the disaster plan concerned with victim identification and summarizes the victim identification process for other first responders. It discusses the integration of the medical examiner/coroner into the initial response process, and presents the roles of various forensic disciplines (including forensic anthropology, radiology, odontology, fingerprinting, and DNA analysis) in victim identification. This guide represents the experience of dozens of Federal, State, international, and private forensic experts who took part in the Technical Working Group for Mass Fatality Forensic Identification.

Stress Among Probation and Parole Officers and What Can Be Done About It

June 2005

Probation and parole officers experience a great deal of job-related stress. A recent study investigated the nature and scope of the problem at nine sites around the country. Researchers identified the major sources of stress (heavy caseloads, paperwork, deadlines) and what officers do to cope. This Research for Practice summarizes key findings and provides case studies of promising stress reduction programs.