Innovation 25 years in the making – CASE NEWS
In 1995, the world was mesmerized by the “trial of the century.” The O.J. Simpson murder trial put the spotlight on DNA, forensic science and the American criminal justice system to the more than 100 million worldwide TELEVISION viewers. A couple of short weeks after the not guilty decision was bied far, the American Society of Criminal activity Lab Directors established the National Forensic Science Innovation Center.
On October 25, 1995, with $1,500 and a mission to do excellent things for the forensic science neighborhood, NFSTC started to help criminal activity labs across the country. From auditing each of the DNA labs to developing training for criminal activity scene investigators– the work was determined and continuously sustained by the growing need in the industry.
” When we were established, there wasn’t rapid DNA or a chemical detection instrument you might take in the field to test for drugs or explosives. And let’s not forget the field of digital forensics wasn’t even a consideration,” Kevin Lothridge, executive director of NFSTC, says.
For 22 years, NFSTC operated as a standalone not-for-profit serving not only civilian law enforcement agencies, but military and global companies. In 2018, NFSTC became NFSTC@FIU and a founding partner of the FIU preeminent program the Global Forensic and Justice Center.
” When we took a look at where we desired and needed to be in the
next 25 years of existence, it appeared signing up with FIU was going to be
critical to our success,” Lothridge adds. “It’s been clear with our effective
research study projects, global training efforts and growth of the Annual
Forensic Science Seminar we made the right choice.”
The GJFC preeminent program is now among the University’s.
highest funded departments through grants and agreements. In just less than.
three years, the GFJC has been awarded more than $19 million in agreement and.
grant funding.
As the world’s most detailed criminal justice research study center, the GFJC concentrates on cross-cutting innovation generating locations outside the conventional lab that still have a substantial effect on forensic science.
University-wide collaborations consisting of the Institute of Environment, the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Florida Center for Capital Representation, Legal Psychology, Cybersecurity@FIU have actually produced ingenious services to real life issues in the forensic science and criminal justice systems. These services do not remain in the silo of the research centers, but are bridged into the neighborhood and market for immediate application.
These options.
include:
” We have a special chance here at FIU to link the.
researcher with completion user. This has allowed us to improve our test and.
assessment in our research study labs. We can use the criminal justice.
research study for training for officers of the court,” describes Lothridge. “As part.
of the GFJC, we have had the ability to expand our know-how since we have.
immediate access to hundreds of research-based professors and post-docs. All.
the work we’ve provided for the previous 25 years is simply a drop in the pail to what.
we have the ability to achieve now.”
As NFSTC@FIU starts the path to the next 25 years, there are predicted modifications in innovation, training needs, and worldwide events. What will not alter is the mission to constantly “do great things” and join the sciences for justice.