Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
Advancing Crime Prevention and Social Justice: The National Institute of Justice’s Priorities and Investments
2025-07-28
This article aligns the content of this volume with the 2021–2024 priorities of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). NIJ’s mission has always been to advance justice by supporting research that can inform efforts to reduce crime and enhance public safety. This article explores the intersection of crime prevention and social justice, with an emphasis on research that incorporates the perspectives of those most impacted by crime and the criminal justice system. We discuss NIJ’s efforts during our tenures there to employ innovative methodologies to better understand the needs and perceptions of people impacted by crime, and we highlight the importance of reaching practitioner audiences in ways that promote the implementation of evidence through initiatives like Evidence to Action and the LEADS Scholars Program. We argue for a collaborative approach to crime prevention that both fosters justice and ensures that research findings are implemented to create lasting, equitable change.