Welcome

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will hold its 2010 National Conference, entitled Advancing Justice through Evidence and Innovation, from December 6–8 in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Hilton Hotel. There is no registration fee for the BJA Conference.

The conference will emphasize how evidence and innovation can be leveraged to improve the Nation's justice systems and to ensure community safety, and how BJA funding is supporting this approach across the Nation.

The conference will feature plenary sessions and numerous workshops that will address key developments and initiatives that are impacting the criminal justice system today and how other communities can use available funding to further these efforts in their communities to reduce costs, align local systems with future trends, and improve system efficiency and effectiveness.  Attendees will be able to participate in a range of workshops covering topics such as:

• Innovation in a Time of Decreasing Resources
• Strategic and Research-Driven Justice Planning
• Information Sharing in Corrections
• Approaches to Offenders with Specialized Needs
• Reengineering Pretrial and Court Operations
• Innovative and Research-Driven Prosecution Strategies
• Access to Justice and Indigent Defense
• Innovation and Evidence in Reentry Practices
• Smart Policing Strategies
• Reducing Budgets While Ensuring Results
• Protecting Privacy and Civil Liberties in Information Sharing
• Connecting the Dots to Prevent Crime and Terrorism

Please note: The BJA 2010 National Conference will not include sessions that focus exclusively on important justice issues in tribal communities to avoid conflict with the Department of Justice’s Interdepartmental Tribal Justice, Safety, and Wellness (TJSW) Conference taking place at the same time in Palm Springs, CA. The TJSW Conference will include discussion of BJA resources and topics, as well as BJA senior leader involvement. Individuals who are interested in the TSJW Conference can register and learn more by visiting http://www.tribaljusticeandsafety.gov

BJA will continue to strongly support and respect tribal justice needs throughout its programs and resources and welcomes the involvement and participation of tribal justice professionals at the BJA National Conference.

Immediately following the National Conference, on December 8 from 1:00–5:00 p.m., BJA will host an Intellectual Property Forum. This event will benefit state and local law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, industry representatives, and national organizations by highlighting the importance of preventing and responding to intellectual property crimes in their communities to address economic loss and improve safety. Participants will discuss the damaging effects of this type of crime to the economy, the health and safety risks it poses to the public, and its relationship with gangs and organized crime.

All BJA grantees are strongly encouraged to attend these events.  Attending this Conference is an allowable cost under all BJA grant programs.