Episode 168 | Just Touch DNA and Sexual Assault Groping Cases

In episode two of our Research and Considerations for Sexual Assault Cases season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Julie Valentine, Associate Dean and Associate Professor at Brigham Young University in the College of Nursing and certified sexual assault nurse forensic examiner, and Heather Mills, Forensic Scientist Manager at the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services, to discuss […]

Episode 167 | Just Lawfully Owed DNA

In episode one of our Research and Considerations for Sexual Assault Cases season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Rachel Lovell, Research Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University, and Mary Weston, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, to discuss lawfully owed DNA.  Lawfully owed DNA is defined as a sample of DNA from a qualifying offender […]

Episode 166 | Just the Biology and DNA Portfolio

In episode four of our 2021 NIJ R&D and Beyond mini season, Just Science sat down with Tracey Johnson, a physical scientist and program manager in the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at NIJ, to discuss the NIJ Biology and DNA research portfolio.   Although Tracey Johnson is relatively new to NIJ, she has a depth of professional experience from which she […]

Episode 165 | Just Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Pathology Portfolio

In episode three of our 2021 NIJ R&D and Beyond mini season, Just Science sat down with Danielle McLeod-Henning, a physical scientist and program manager in the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at NIJ, to discuss Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Pathology.   Danielle McLeod-Henning has been the physical scientist in charge of the forensic anthropology, pathology, and medicolegal death investigation portfolio since 2009. In that time, she has dedicated […]

Episode 164 | Just the Impression and Pattern/Trace Evidence Portfolio

In episode two of our 2021 NIJ R&D and Beyond mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Gregory Dutton, a physical scientist in the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at the National Institute of Justice, to discuss NIJ’s Impression, Pattern, and Trace Evidence research portfolio.    Between latent fingerprints, firearms, footwear, paint analysis, and much more, the NIJ Impression, Pattern, and Trace Evidence portfolio encompasses a diverse array of […]

Episode 163 | Just Seized Drugs and Toxicology Portfolio

In episode one of our 2021 NIJ R&D and Beyond mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Frances Scott, a physical scientist in the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at the National Institute of Justice, to discuss the Seized Drugs and Toxicology research and development portfolio.  With the introduction of new and more […]

Episode 162 | Just a Guide to Sexual Assault Response Reform

In episode three of our Sexual Assault Awareness Month mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Patricia Melton, co-director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Training and Technical Assistance program, to discuss a new resource that will help criminal justice practitioners support sexual assault response reform. Creating a comprehensive, improved response to sexual assault requires […]

Episode 161 | Just Victim Advocacy During a Pandemic

In episode two of our Sexual Assault Awareness Month mini season, Just Science sat down with Marya Simmons, founder and CEO of Shift in Notion Consulting, to discuss victim advocacy during a pandemic.     The arena of sexual assault response reform has seen a shift toward victim-centered approaches over the last several years. At Shift in Notion Consulting, Marya Simmons is […]

Episode 160 | Just a Survivor’s Perspective and Reflection

In episode one of our 2021 Sexual Assault Awareness Month mini season, Just Science sat down with author, non-profit founder, and sexual assault survivor Natasha Alexenko to discuss her book, A Survivor’s Journey, and the importance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Every survivor of sexual assault has their own story. Some have experienced successful case resolutions and others have not, but all […]

Episode 159 | Just Polysubstance Use and the Importance of Data Trends

In episode ten, Just Science interviews Josh Yohannan, a forensic chemist and expert in emerging drug trends, about polysubstance use in the opioid overdose epidemic.  Polysubstance use dramatically increases the potential for overdose or negative side effects of drug use. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” description of a person who uses drugs, there is one common thread linking them together: the danger they […]