Advanced Concepts in Criminal Justice: Judicial Training Program

The FY 2015 Adjudication and Law Enforcement National Initiatives: Improving Responses to Criminal Justice Issues Competitive Grant Announcement focuses on national initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, specifically by (1) providing training and technical assistance (TTA) to jurisdictions engaged in problem-solving justice initiatives; (2) training judges on advanced criminal justice topics; (3) improving public trust and confidence in the court system by promoting procedural justice; (4) providing TTA to jurisdictions engaged in capital case litigation; (5) providing TTA to prosecutors interested in diverting addicted offenders to substance abuse treatment in lieu of prison; (6) convening prosecutors to implement innovative policies and strategies; and (7) developing an executive training session for police leadership. The goal of the Advanced Concepts in Criminal Justice: Judicial Training Program is to provide judicial officers with advanced education about the latest research on criminal justice topics that directly affect their everyday work. In many jurisdictions, criminal court judges receive on-the-job training as their primary method of education. This training will address important research on emerging criminal justice concepts and trends. Through the Advanced Concepts in Criminal Justice: Judicial Training program, judges from across the country will have the opportunity to receive education on topics including: (1) maintaining independence while collaborating on systems reform; (2) science of brain development; (3) implicit bias; (4) forensics; and (5) risk-needs-responsivity and assessment tools.

The goal of the National Judicial College’s Judicial Training Program is to improve the criminal justice system by providing educational opportunities to more than 1,000 judges by developing curricula for and conducting in-person training workshops and webinars on various subjects. CA/NCF