Learn about recently released BJA publications. Information includes a summary of the publication and links to the various file formats.

Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Tailoring Law Enforcement Initiatives to Individual Jurisdictions (PDF)
BJA, Council of State Governments Justice Center, and Police Executive Research Forum, March 2010
This document, the result of a project supported by BJA and conducted in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum, explores the program design process for a variety of Specialized Policing Response (SPR) models-including crisis intervention teams, law enforcement/mental health co-response teams, and case management approaches-that take into account such factors as jurisdiction size, demographics, mental health and law enforcement agency resources, and relevant state laws.

The Future is Now: Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing the 21st Century Jail Workforce (PDF)
BJA and the Center for Innovative Public Policies, January 2010
This toolkit provides strategies for improving employee recruitment, retention, succession planning and leadership development, based on current research in the field as well as input from some 2,106 line staff and 569 administrators responding to the first National Jail Workforce Survey.

Fair, Timely, Economical Justice: Achieving Justice Through Effective Caseflow Management (PDF)
BJA and the National Judicial College, December 2009
This document invites judges to examine effective caseflow management's benefits and contains six key concepts integral to effective caseflow management.

Combating Methamphetamine Abuse (HTML or PDF)
BJA, October 2009
This fact sheet describes resources available to communities to address meth abuse, including prevention and education programs, as well as support for enforcement efforts including investigative strategies and state and local drug task forces.

Benchmarks for Developing a Law Enforcement Pandemic Flu Plan (PDF)
BJA and the Police Executive Research Forum, October 2009
This document is an interactive guide for law enforcement executives to help them navigate through the public health emergency planning process.

Guide for Preventing and Responding to School Violence: 2nd Edition (PDF)
International Association of Chiefs of Police, September 2009
This guide addresses both prevention and intervention from a systemic view, clarifying the roles of the school, the community, families, law enforcement, and the justice system and how these groups can work together effectively to respond to school violence.

Employing Returning Combat Veterans as Law Enforcement Officers (PDF)
BJA and International Association of Chiefs of Police, September 2009
This report presents findings that underscore the transition issues faced by veteran officers and agencies as they deploy and return from military service.

Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (HTML or PDF)
BJA, September 2009
This fact sheet describes the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program, which provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders, as well as disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty.

Smart Policing Initiative (HTML or PDF)
BJA, September 2009
This fact sheet describes the Smart Policing Initiative, which seeks to identify law enforcement tactics and strategies that are effective, efficient, and economical.

Back on Track: A Problem-Solving Reentry Court (HTML or PDF)
BJA, September 2009
This fact sheet discusses Back on Track, a promising approach for prosecutors nationwide who want to redirect low-level, nonaddicted drug sellers away from incarceration and into productive, crime-free lives.

Mental Health Courts: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice (PDF)
Council of State Governments Justice Center, September 2009
This guide helps policy makers and practitioners understand available research to better design, implement, and evaluate mental health courts.

The BJA/PERF Body Armor National Survey: Protecting the Nation's Law Enforcement Officers (PDF)
BJA and the Police Executive Research Forum, September 2009
This document provides the results of a survey conducted in 2007 with a large, nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies about policies and practices regarding body armor.

Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Planning: Guidelines for Community Corrections (PDF)
BJA and the American Probation and Parole Association, August 2009
This document provides guidance to community corrections for developing preparedness and response plans for pandemic flu and other crises.

Conducted Energy Devices: Use in a Custodial Setting (PDF)
BJA, Police Executive Research Forum, and National Sheriffs' Association, August 2009
The report discusses the survey results to determine the extent to which sheriffs' offices are using the devices and have developed policies on CEDs and also provides general guidelines for the use of CEDs and other electronic devices in custodial settings.

Communication and Public Health Emergencies: A Guide for Law Enforcement (PDF)
BJA and the Police Executive Research Forum, August 2009
This guide identifies important considerations for law enforcement executives seeking to develop or enhance communication plans for public health emergencies, including internal communications and external communications (those going out to other agencies and the public).

Avoiding Failures of Implementation: Lessons from Process Evaluations (PDF)
BJA and the Center for Court Innovation, July 2009
Part of a multi-faceted inquiry into failure undertaken by the Center for Court Innovation and BJA, this paper examines failures that occur during the implementation of new initiatives. The paper seeks to identify common sources of failure and to develop a basic list of considerations that may help criminal justice reformers avoid future pitfalls.

Civil Gang Injunctions: A Guide for Prosecutors (PDF)
BJA and the National District Attorneys Association, June 2009
This monograph describes the innovative use of gang injunctions, pioneered by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, to reduce the spread of gang-related criminal activity.

Law Enforcement Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice (PDF)
Council of State Governments Justice Center, June 2009
This guide examines studies on law enforcement interactions with people with mental illnesses and translates the findings to help policymakers and practitioners develop safe and effective interventions.