Understanding the factors, challenges, and processes that impact criminal and medicolegal investigations is crucial. An important part of improving investigations is understanding the current landscape that police, the forensic community, and the public face. The RTI Center for Policing Research and Investigative Science has decades of experience in tracking data—including emerging drug trends throughout the United States—that are used to inform public safety and public health officials and help improve their response to drug-related incidences.
We also have experience working with law enforcement agencies across the country to better understand innovative approaches agencies are taking to address the opioid epidemic in their communities and promote best practices—such as collaborating with community partners—for embedding harm reduction initiatives within the justice system. We have worked directly with public safety and forensic agencies to provide technical assistance to help them collect, process, and investigate cases as well as provide them with technical support to assist in external and internal data reporting and analytics.