Just Science Podcast

In this season of Just Science, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) and the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) collaborate to provide highlights and experiences on evidence-based research and programs that address substance use and overdoses in the United States. Throughout the season, host and Forensic Scientist Dr. Lawrance Mullen speaks with grantees about a diverse range of state and local projects, which incorporate reentry services for those being released from prison, peer support, crisis response, and more. Episodes also discuss innovative research for drug monitoring programs through wastewater drug epidemiology, overdose data, and drug checking and related technology implementations. Listeners will hear about lessons learned, exciting successes, and advice for other agencies who want to implement similar programs.    

This Just Science season is supported, in part, by RTI Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, and by RTI Award No. 15PBJA-23-GK-02250-COAP, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Both are agencies within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this podcast season do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

Listen to all podcast episodes here: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify, & YouTube Podcasts!

When a community member requires emergency services during a mental health or substance use crisis, they may benefit from a range of additional or alternative services in conjunction with a traditional law enforcement response. To understand the impact of these alternative responses, public safety and treatment practitioners in Indianapolis collaborated with researchers to pilot a co-response mobile crisis assistance team program, where a mental health clinician is partnered with a police officer for response to any behavioral health related emergency calls. Listen along as Assistant Chief Cummings and Ms. Cianelli describe how providing immediate mental health services and follow-up care can benefit community members while also providing support to police on-scene, helpful advice for practitioners who may want to implement co-response teams, and the importance of partnering with researchers to effectively evaluate these types of programs.

To evaluate the Indianapolis co-response program, a randomized controlled study of 911 calls for service was utilized to help ensure that any positive or negative outcomes were a direct result of the program rather than other factors. When conducted outside of a laboratory setting, this type of study requires extensive planning, coordination, and trust-building between researchers and practitioners. Listen along as Dr. Lowder, Dr. Grommon, and Dr. Ray describe the moving parts that facilitate real-world randomized controlled trials, the importance of directly comparing outcomes from co-response cases to outcomes from traditional policing cases, and the results from the Indianapolis co-response program evaluation. 

These special release episodes are funded in part by RTI International’s Justice Practice Area and the Mobile Crisis Assistance Team program supported by Arnold Ventures.    

Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.  

Listen to all podcast episodes here: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify, & YouTube Podcasts!

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month; a national campaign which aims to support sexual assault survivors while also highlighting innovations in sexual assault response and prevention. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month, Just Science host and forensic social scientist, Jason Chute, sat down with several subject matter experts to discuss sexual assault evidence collection, cold case investigation, and survivor advocacy. Listen along as our guests provide valuable insight into the field of sexual assault response and discuss the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach. 

These special release episodes are funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.   

Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.  

Listen to all podcast episodes here: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify, & YouTube Podcasts!