National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA)

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National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) NCJA represents state, tribal and local governments and practitioners on public safety & criminal justice issues

The NCJA is a national voice in shaping and implementing criminal justice policy since its founding in 1971. As the representative of state, tribal and local criminal and juvenile justice practitioners, the NCJA works to promote a balanced approach to communities' complex public safety and criminal and juvenile justice system problems. The NCJA recognizes the importance of interrelationships among criminal and juvenile justice agencies and between these agencies and the community and the strong, steady advocacy necessary to achieve comprehensive planning and policy coordination goals. Guided by a 17-18 member Board of Directors, the NCJA serves as the formal mechanism for informing the Congress of state, tribal and local criminal and juvenile justice needs and accomplishments. Through collaboration with practitioners and policymakers, the NCJA also communicates state, tribal and local views on crime prevention and control to federal executive and other public and private agencies at all levels.

Join us for our next government affairs update on November 9, 2026, from 2:00-2:45 pm ET.In this post-election update, N...
10/06/2026

Join us for our next government affairs update on November 9, 2026, from 2:00-2:45 pm ET.

In this post-election update, NCJA Director of Government Affairs Elizabeth Pyke will discuss what the results of the midterm election may mean for appropriations and legislation moving through the next Congress. NCJA members will have the opportunity to ask questions and share issues of common interest and concern.

Open to all members, register here: https://connect2justice.ncja.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2091346

NCJA is proud to welcome its new leadership team for the 2026–2028 term. Members of the NCJA Board of Directors and Exec...
09/29/2026

NCJA is proud to welcome its new leadership team for the 2026–2028 term. Members of the NCJA Board of Directors and Executive Committee were elected earlier this month by the NCJA Advisory Council.

Delrice Adams, executive director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, was elected NCJA President and will lead the association’s Executive Committee for the next two years. Tony Vidale, executive director of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, was elected Vice President and will chair the Finance Committee.

NCJA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee play a critical role in formulating and guiding the policy and strategic direction of the association, bringing perspectives from state and local leaders across the country.

New and returning members of the Board include:
Jennifer Brinkman, Joe Popcun, Lori Pesci, Caroline Farmer, Matthew Lunn, Natalia Bowser, Valarie Tickle, Valina Carpenter, Jay Neal, Kay Chopard, Nicole Dehner, Constance Kostelac, Doug Huntsinger, Brenda Cook, Kirsten Kenyon, and Dianna Thornton.

Learn more: https://www.ncja.org/board

The NCJA Center for Grants Management is proud to announce that our annual Grants Management Training Day is back! Join ...
09/25/2026

The NCJA Center for Grants Management is proud to announce that our annual Grants Management Training Day is back!

Join us and network with your peers across the country and get your grant administration questions answered. Grants Management Training is designed for new and experienced grant managers who administer federal grant programs, including the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG), Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP), Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners (RSAT) programs.

The training will take place virtually over the course of three days from 1-3pm ET.

Register Here: https://connect2justice.ncja.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2089216

Join us for our next Topical Policy Session on October 14, featuring Rebecca Neusteter, author of "911, What’s Your Emer...
09/16/2026

Join us for our next Topical Policy Session on October 14, featuring Rebecca Neusteter, author of "911, What’s Your Emergency? The Promise and Peril of Crisis Response.”

When people call 911 — often in one of the worst moments of their lives — they should be able to trust that the right help will come. Too often, it doesn't.

Drawing on years of original research, Neusteter takes a critical look at how America’s 911 system came to be—and why its structure continues to shape how communities respond to crises today. Her work makes the case that reforming 911 is not peripheral to criminal justice reform but central to it, and that communities, policymakers, and practitioners now have both the evidence and the tools to build a system that lives up to its promise. [link]

Join us for our next Policy Session, Building Safer Downtowns Through Business and Law Enforcement Partnerships, on Augu...
07/21/2026

Join us for our next Policy Session, Building Safer Downtowns Through Business and Law Enforcement Partnerships, on August 6, 2026, at 2:00 pm ET. Discover how innovative partnerships between Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and law enforcement are helping create safer, more vibrant downtowns.

In this interactive session, leaders Michael Deemer and Kyle Carter from the business improvement districts in Cleveland, Ohio, and Davenport, Iowa will share how they collaborate with local law enforcement to enhance public safety, strengthen community trust, and support thriving commercial districts. Attendees will gain insights into how communities of different sizes tailor safety strategies to meet their unique needs, from coordinated patrols and outreach initiatives to addressing quality-of-life concerns that impact residents, businesses, and visitors.

Register today! Open to all members: https://connect2justice.ncja.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2075628

It’s ! Led by The Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative (PTACC) National Leadership Council (NLC), National De...
07/21/2026

It’s ! Led by The Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative (PTACC) National Leadership Council (NLC), National Deflection Week aims to recognize, educate, and showcase the impactful work of deflection in our communities. Learn more and view the PTACC suite of resources: https://ptaccollaborative.org/ptacc-suite/

07/15/2026

🎉 The new NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy & Practice website is officially live! Visit: https://ncjadnacenter.org/

As the use of forensic DNA continues to advance, policymakers and criminal justice leaders need accurate, accessible information to support policy development and implementation. The NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy and Practice serves as a national hub for advancing, assessing, and connecting critical areas of forensic DNA system improvement. This work will maximize the potential of forensic DNA technology nationwide.

The new website features two cornerstone resources:

🧬 State DNA Legislation Database – Search and compare forensic DNA legislation across all 56 states and territories, covering topics including DNA collection, Rapid DNA, forensic genetic genealogy, lawfully owed DNA, privacy issues, and more.

🗺️ Interactive State Policy Map – Compare state policies, identify legislative trends, and support informed decision-making.

In addition, learn about the Center's broader work on the expansion of offender collection, implementation of Rapid DNA, Lawfully Owed DNA sample audits, and system partner communication and hit follow-up. This work includes policy analysis, technical assistance, education, and the sharing of resources that are transforming the criminal justice landscape.

This launch marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to build a comprehensive resource on forensic DNA policy and practice. In the coming months, additional legislative updates, policy guidance, implementation resources, state success stories, and best practices will be added.

We invite policymakers, State Administering Agencies, forensic laboratories, law enforcement leaders, legislators, the media, and justice practitioners to explore this new resource and visit the site often as we continue development.

Thank you to Arnold Ventures for their support for this new Center.

⏳ Just one more day!Tomorrow, the NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy & Practice officially launches its new website.We'...
07/14/2026

⏳ Just one more day!

Tomorrow, the NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy & Practice officially launches its new website.

We're looking forward to sharing new resources, tools, and opportunities focused on supporting and advancing forensic DNA policy and practice across key areas of the criminal justice system.

Check back tomorrow for the official launch!

Thank you Arnold Ventures for supporting this work.

⏳ The countdown is on!The new NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy & Practice website launches this Wednesday, July 15!🧬 ...
07/13/2026

⏳ The countdown is on!

The new NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy & Practice website launches this Wednesday, July 15!

🧬 The NCJA DNA Center will serve as a national resource, sharing information, providing technical assistance, and supporting research that builds on the important work already being done by forensic scientists, law enforcement, and criminal justice professionals across the country.

Thank you Arnold Ventures, for supporting this work.

Last week, NCJA Executive Director, Chris Asplen, had the opportunity to present and moderate several presentations at N...
06/02/2026

Last week, NCJA Executive Director, Chris Asplen, had the opportunity to present and moderate several presentations at National Conference of State Legislatures’s Forensics Forum in Miami, FL, on behalf of the NCJA Center for Forensic DNA Policy and Practice.

The key to maximizing the potential of forensic DNA technology to save lives is for states to craft and pass legislation that fulfills its crime solving potential, while protecting the innocent and creating public trust. Thank you to NCSL, Arnold Ventures and most of all to the State Legislators who took time to attend, learn and carry important information back to their states.

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