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Policy makers

What's Known and Unknown about Marijuana (Part One)

January 2024

Marijuana poses many challenges for researchers, law enforcement, and policy makers, challenges that fall into two fields: drug chemistry and toxicology. NIJ scientist Dr. Frances Scott joins this episode to explain the complications in drug chemistry and how difficulties defining marijuana lead to backlogs in crime labs around the country. NIJ Communications Assistant Josh Mondoro hosts. 

Reading and Resources from NIJ:

De-Escalation Training: Safer Communities and Safer Law Enforcement Officers


Depending on whom you ask, “de-escalation training” is either a miracle cure or a four-letter word.

As high-profile, deadly confrontations between law enforcement officers and civilians continue to generate widespread public concern, de-escalation training has been hailed as the solution for this seemingly intractable problem. Public officials and policy makers from across the political spectrum have embraced de-escalation training as the key to safer interactions...