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The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCoE) leads a comprehensive federal effort that includes a focus on systemic challenges that impede the criminal justice response to sexual assaults in the United States. The FTCoE promotes knowledge and best practices of sexual assault evidence collection and investigation for sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs), sexual assault forensic examiners (SAFEs), and collaborative sexual assault response teams (SARTs). This FTCoE sexual assault initiative began in 2012 and supports the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) efforts in research, development, testing, and evaluation processes in all areas of forensic science (Exhibit 1). To help improve public safety, the FTCoE disseminates best practices and guidelines to crime laboratories, forensic service providers, and law enforcement on a wide array of topics. Per NIJ’s directive, the FTCoE focuses on the following: • Providing scientific and technical support to NIJ’s research and development efforts; • Facilitating demonstration, transfer, and adoption of appropriate technology into practice by crime laboratories, forensic science service providers, law enforcement, and other criminal justice agencies; • Offering technology assistance, information, and support to law enforcement and other appropriate criminal justice agencies; • Developing and providing access to resources for research, education, and best practices in the forensic science and criminal justice communities; and • Working closely with NIJ’s social science staff to assess and communicate the impact of forensic science on the criminal justice system.
