Trauma-informed care extends beyond mental health services to various other sectors such as corrections, homeless services, child welfare, and schools. It can also be applied in the field of research, guiding decision-making and organizational structure which benefits both participants and researchers. A trauma-informed approach should be prioritized in research projects to address the impact of traumatic stress on mental and physical health. This involves creating safe environments and setting up study procedures that seek to avoid re-traumatizing participants. Just Science explores how experts apply this approach throughout the research process from project management to data collection and dissemination, revolutionizing organizations and promoting safety and support for all. 

This season is funded by the RTI International Justice Practice Area.

Trauma-Informed Research Methods

In episode one of our Trauma-Informed Research Methods mini season, Drs. Jaclyn Houston-Kolnik, Hannah Feeney, and Rebecca Pfeffer, research scientists at RTI International, sat down to discuss incorporating trauma-informed practices when conducting research. Given the prevalence of trauma among the population, it is important for researchers to be mindful and aware of trauma in their research participants, regardless of whether their studies focus on trauma. Prioritizing a trauma-informed approach from the study design to data collection and dissemination promotes safety and support for all involved. Listen along as Drs. Houston-Kolnik, Pfeffer, and Feeney describe what it means to use a trauma-informed approach in all aspects of the research process, the importance of training research staff to incorporate trauma-informed principles, and their own experiences with creating trauma-informed study designs. This episode is funded by the RTI International Justice Practice Area. 
Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

Just Trauma-Informed Research Methods

In episode two of our Trauma-Informed Research Methods mini season, Just Science sat down with Katherine Bright, a sexual violence researcher, to discuss the importance of prioritizing trauma-informed data collection methods. Researchers are often conditioned to collect data in a way that minimizes methodological error and prioritizes scientific output. As a result, there is a need to reevaluate research priorities to ensure that participants and staff are working in an environment where they feel safe and connected. Listen along as Katherine describes a three-pronged approach to trauma-informed research, specific ways to increase choice and agency for participants and research staff, and how she develops her evolving research practice. This episode is funded by RTI International's Justice Practice Area.

Just Methods For Trauma-Informed Data Collection

In episode three of our Trauma-Informed Research Methods mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Rebecca Campbell, Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University, to discuss the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach when managing a research team. For research staff who are regularly exposed to traumatic material, it can be difficult to recognize and respond to signs of their own vicarious trauma. While there is no perfect roadmap for navigating trauma-informed project management, research leaders are continuing to explore strategies for mitigating vicarious trauma for their team. Listen along as Dr. Campbell describes her career-long learning process for creating a trauma-informed research environment, how to recognize the signs that you or someone on your research team may need a break, and where to find resources for learning more about vicarious trauma.  This episode is funded by the RTI International Justice Practice Area. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

Just Trauma-Informed Project Leadership

In the final episode of our Trauma-Informed Research Methods mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Noni Gaylord-Harden, a researcher from Texas A&M University, and Dr. Vicki Johnson-Lawrence, a researcher from RTI International, to discuss how to thoughtfully conduct research outreach and dissemination in a community setting.  At the initial stages of community-based research, it is important for researchers to form meaningful connections with community members and listen to their needs instead of making assumptions about what is most important to study or pay attention to. By taking a slow and mindful approach, researchers will ask questions that will be purposeful for the community and foster a better understanding of how to disseminate their research findings in a way that is valuable to the community being served. Listen along as Drs. Gaylord-Harden and Johnson-Lawrence describe what it means to center community voices in research, the importance of being flexible in your research approach, and the challenges of taking a trauma-informed approach to community outreach and dissemination.  This episode is funded by the RTI International Justice Practice Area. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

Just Outreach And Dissemination With Trauma In Mind

In episode 2 of our economic empowerment season, Just Science sat down with Lenore Shaffer of Restore NYC, Tiffany McGee of Survivor Ventures and Laura Hackney of Annie Cannons experts in the anti-trafficking field to discuss their economic empowerment work. Economic empowerment programs include skill building, job training, and career development for people who have experienced human trafficking. These programs seek to overcome barriers many survivors experience in the workforce and set them on a path for long-term economic mobility. Listen along as Tiffany, Lenore, and Laura talk about their programs, common barriers survivors encounter, and practical solutions for supporting survivors’ economic empowerment journey. This season is funded by the Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project. The views expressed in this podcast belong to the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

(Not) Just Jobs - Survivor Empowerment Through Skill - Building And Career Growth

In episode 3 of our economic empowerment season, Just Science down with Megan Lundstrom, the inaugural Director of the Polaris Project’s Resilience Fund, to discuss how flexible cash assistance can support people who have experienced human trafficking.  Direct financial assistance, such as stipends or grants, play an important role in supporting economic empowerment for people who have experienced human trafficking. They can be used to seed a small business, participate in a job training program, or further one’s education. Listen as Lauren and Megan talk about the types of direct financial assistance available, and the benefits of these programs for people who have experienced human trafficking. This season is funded by the Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project. The views expressed in this podcast belong to the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Just Direct Financial Assistance A Strategy To Support Survivors Of Human Trafficking

In episode one of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Anthony (Tony) Earles,  Forensics/Identification Unit Supervisor at the Maui Police Department, to discuss the Maui wildfires that occurred on August 8, 2023, including the collaborative nature of the mass disaster emergency response effort; the forensic methodologies and technologies used to identify recovered human remains; and the various challenges encountered during response mobilization due to the isolated geographic location of Maui County, Hawaii. When deadly wildfires impacted Maui County, available resources and existing infrastructure were put under strain. Despite these initial obstacles, through the collaborative response of over one-hundred individuals from federal agencies, external partners, state and local forensic science service providers, as well as members of the Lahaina community, Maui Police Department was able to expand its response capacity, recover unidentified human remains, and identify these remains using a variety of forensic identification techniques including Rapid DNA technology, and more. Listen along as Tony describes how Maui Police Department and the many forensic professionals and first responders involved were able to locate and identify unidentified human remains, the importance of collaboration and communication in mass disaster response, and lessons learned that may support mass disaster response preparedness planning efforts within the forensic community.  This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

Just Mass Disaster Emergency Response In Maui, Hawaii

In episode two of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Tim Fayle, Training Capability Lead for IDEMIA Australasia and Chair of the International Association for Identification’s Latent Print Certification Board, to discuss the utility of friction ridge detail inadvertently captured via photographs as a valuable and potentially underutilized type of evidence within a variety of case types. While the use of latent fingerprints recovered from crime scenes has been established as an important type of forensic evidence for decades, the increasingly widespread use of social media and other digital platforms has contributed to even more opportunities to garner friction ridge detail evidence following a crime. Practitioners and researchers alike have demonstrated the value of utilizing photographs presenting inadvertently captured finger and palm friction ridge detail – obtained via social media posts, other digital forums, and cellphone data – to identify perpetrators and help bring justice to victims. Listen along as Tim describes several cases where inadvertently photographed friction ridge detail was utilized to make an identification to a perpetrator, the various methods and techniques latent print examiners can add to their toolkit to analyze and compare this type of friction ridge detail, and his recommendations for ensuring this type of evidence is not overlooked or underutilized within future cases. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

Just Using Inadvertently Photographed Ridge Detail As Evidence

In episode three of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Michael Nirenberg, a clinical and forensic podiatrist and current President of the American Society of Forensic Podiatry, to discuss how analyzing a perpetrator’s gait and footprint evidence located at a crime scene can help advance investigations and resolve cases. While locomotive characteristics, like the way our hips swing when we walk, are not as individualizing as fingerprints or DNA, forensic podiatrists can analyze and compare video footage of a perpetrator’s gait to a person of interest’s gait to develop supplemental forensic evidence. This additional information can be used to support a conviction or the exoneration of a falsely accused individual. Listen along as Dr. Nirenberg describes the role digital evidence plays in gait analysis, how forensic podiatrists analyze and compare the gait of a perpetrator to a person of interest, and several cases where the analysis of gait or footprint evidence were key to supporting investigations. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

Just Forensic Podiatry Supporting Investigations

In the final episode of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Ashleigh Berg, Senior Forensic Investigator for the Denton County Sheriff’s Office, to discuss a capital murder case, where a combination of a variety of forensic evidence types aided the resolution of the case. When a homicide occurs in a dynamic environment, like inside a moving vehicle that was involved in two car crashes, it can pose challenges for reconstructing the timeline of events and differentiating incident-related evidence from post-incident artifacts. For a fatal shooting case that took place in Denton, Texas, forensic practitioners needed to utilize a wide range of forensic evidence, such as bloodstain patterns, surveillance footage, and real-time tracking data, to help locate the suspect and provide insight to the investigative questions in the case. Listen along as Ashleigh describes her role in collecting and analyzing evidence in this capital murder case, the importance of considering all evidence and forensic findings in the context of a case, and how a combination of physical and digital evidence was crucial in bringing this case to justice. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

Just Resolving A Capital Murder Case In Denton Texas

In this special release episode, Just Science sat down with Chuck Heurich, Senior Physical Scientist with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and Dr. Jennifer Snippen, experienced medicolegal death investigator and consultant, to discuss recent updates to NIJ’s Guide for the Death Scene Investigator. Twenty-five years ago, NIJ released a guide to help medicolegal death investigators navigate complex scenes and cases; a document that has since evolved with the development of best practices and technological advancements. In 2024, a new version was released after a multi-disciplinary group of experts collaborated to make four major changes, including updates to documentation for death notifications to the office, procedures for child death investigations, partnering with law enforcement, and more. Listen along as Chuck and Dr. Snippen describe why the Death Investigation Guide was developed, how the newest updates came to be, and implications for day-to-day operations for medicolegal death investigators.  

This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). 

Just Advancements in Death Investigation Practices

In episode one of our Sexual Assault Awareness Month season, Just Science sat down with Jody West, the Forensic Science Manager for the Forensic Biology Section at the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory, and Dr. Patricia Melton, a Senior Research Forensic Social Scientist at RTI International, to discuss resources aimed to help forensic science service providers (FSSPs) increase the efficiency and cost effectiveness of sexual assault kit testing. Among FSSPs, there is variability in how they approach testing sexual assault kits; some conduct serology testing of samples before moving to DNA testing, while others forego initial serology testing for a Direct-to-DNA approach. Because each processing workflow has distinct costs and benefits, the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) has developed a no-cost tool that helps FSSPs decide on, and advocate for, an approach that is efficient and feasible considering their available resources and needs. Listen along as Jody and Dr. Melton describe the varied approaches to processing workflows in the field, the challenges that FSSPs face when transitioning from one workflow to another, and how the FTCOE’s Cost-Benefit Analysis Tool for Labor Expenditure Associated With Sexual Assault Kit Processing Workflows can foster important conversations about improving sexual assault kit testing workflows.    

This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).    

Just Improving Sexual Assault Kit Testing Workflows

In this special release episode, Just Science sat down with Stacy Sechrist, community violence researcher at RTI International, Jesse Brey, criminal justice researcher and PhD student at Temple University, and Harrod Emmanuel Clay Jr., pastor and community-based advocate, to discuss findings from RTI’s Victim and Witness Participation research project, which is supported by the philanthropy Arnold Ventures.

For individuals who have experienced or witnessed severe community violence, there is often hesitation to report the crime, participate in law enforcement interviews, or engage in court proceedings. To better understand these barriers, community violence researchers at RTI International and Temple University conducted interviews with individuals who had recently experienced incidents of severe community violence, and found that fear of retaliation, concerns about social consequences, and poor communication from law enforcement are among the most significant obstacles to victim and witness engagement in the criminal legal system. Listen along as Stacy, Jesse, and Pastor Clay describe the importance of giving victims and witnesses a voice after violent crime, common themes found across the research interviews, and important considerations for improving the legal system’s response to victim and witness participation.

 This episode is funded by RTI International’s Justice Practice Area.

Just the Cost of Speaking Up: Why Victims and Witnesses Stay Silent

Just Science is a podcast for justice professionals and anyone interested in learning more about forensic science, innovative technology, current research, and actionable strategies to improve the criminal justice system.  This podcast deals with a range of issues, including human trafficking, firearms, policing, leadership in the crime lab, new technologies, sexual assault response, and broader challenges for science and public security. We cover various types of topics across RTI's Justice Practice Area. 

Some seasons of Just Science were developed by RTI International's Justice Practice Area through various funding sources. Please visit the individual episode to learn more about its funding.

Just Methods For Trauma-Informed Data Collection

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