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Research

Violence Data Resources

  • The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) is an international association established in 1963 to foster professional and scholarly activities in the field of criminal justice. ACJS promotes criminal justice education, research, and policy analysis within the discipline of criminal justice for both educators and practitioners.
  • The American Society of Criminology (ASC) is an international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific, and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency.  ASC's objectives are to encourage the exchange, in a multidisciplinary setting, of those engaged in research, teaching, and practice so as to foster criminological scholarship, and to serve as a forum for the dissemination of criminological knowledge.
  • The Battered Women's Justice Project offers training, technical assistance, and consultation on the most promising practices of the criminal and civil justice systems in addressing domestic violence.  Staff attorneys and advocates can provide information and analyses on effective policing, prosecuting, sentencing, and monitoring of domestic violence offenders.
  • The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is the United States' primary source for criminal justice statistics.
  • domesticshelters.org is the largest searchable directory of domestic violence service providers in the United States providing users the ability to find services best suited to their needs and providing domestic violence providers with invaluable online resources.
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provides a range of services and resources, including crime statistics, criminal background checks, laboratory services, training, victim assistance, and more.
  • Futures Without Violence provides groundbreaking programs, policies, and campaigns that empower individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world.
  • The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) seeks research data and pertinent documents from researchers, including PIs, research agencies, and government entities. They process, preserve, and disseminate the data and documents, also providing education, training, and instructional resources to help users understand and analyze research data.
    • Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD), a recent initiative of ICPSR, seeks to assist in the public dissemination and preservation of quality data to generate more "good science." RCMD wants to be part of an interactive community of persons interested and be involved in minority related issues/investigations in order to make possible the broadest scope of research endeavors and examinations.
    • National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) is to facilitate research in criminal justice and criminology, through the preservation, enhancement, and sharing of computerized data resources; through the production of original research based on archived data; and through specialized training workshops in quantitative analysis of crime and justice data.
  • The Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) is a national nonprofit organization of state Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) directors, and other researchers and practitioners throughout government, academia, and the justice community who are dedicated to the use of research and analysis to make informed policy and program decisions. Please note that JRSA does not collect data, but is a resource for assisting you to find the information that you need.
    • The Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Data Resource Center provides information on how data are collected and used in the states. Funded by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the purpose of the Center is to provide information to researchers, practitioners and members of the public interested in finding, using, or understanding domestic and sexual violence and stalking data.
  • Keeping Our Students Safe: How to Prepare for and Prevent Violent Situations at School is a guide that discusses the broad range of school-related violence. It turns the spotlight on shootings and gun crime, and has an expert Q&A on the issue of schools and gun control. We look at the myriad of causes of school violence. There's expert advice and strategies to help prevent, prepare for and handle violent situations. The guide rounds off with top resources for schools, students and parents to turn to for further support.
  • The National Center for Victims of Crime is a nonprofit organization that advocates for victims' rights, trains professionals who work with victims, and serves as a trusted source of information on victims' issues. After more than 25 years, they remain the most comprehensive national resource committed to advancing victims' rights and helping victims of crime rebuild their lives. The National Center is, at its core, an advocacy organization committed to -- and working on behalf of -- crime victims and their families. Rather than focus the entire organization's work on one type of crime or victim, the National Center addresses all types of crime.

    • The mission of the Stalking Resource Center (SRC)is to enhance the ability of professionals, organizations, and systems to effectively respond to stalking. The SRC envisions a future in which the criminal justice system and its many allied community partners will have the best tools to effectively collaborate and respond to stalking, improve victim safety and well-being, and hold offenders accountable.
  • The National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women aims to secure justice for battered women charged with crimes related to their battering and prevent further victimization of arrested, convicted, or incarcerated battered women.
  • The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) organizing for collective power by advancing transformative work, thinking and leadership of communities and individuals working to end the violence in our lives.
  • The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) is the only national coalition dedicated to reducing violence and its impacts on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected (LGBTQH) communities in the United States. NCAVP currently brings together LGBTQH anti-violence programs in cities and regions across the United States and in Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario.
  • The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is a federally funded resource offering justice and drug-related information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide.
  • The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction through the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines and by ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
  • The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) - the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice — is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to reduce crime and promote justice, particularly at the state and local levels.
  • The National Institute of Health (NIH) is the nation's medical research agency, supporting scientific studies that turn discovery into health.

  • The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), a social change organization, is dedicated to creating a social, political and economic environment in which violence against women no longer exists. NNEDV is the leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates. NNEDV further supports the fight to end domestic violence by providing state coalitions with critical information and resources. From training and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategic funding, NNEDV brings much-needed resources to local communities. 
    • Womenslaw.org is a project of NNEDV providing legal information and online support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
  • The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense.
    • The Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences supports research to develop and advance scientific knowledge on human cognition, language, social behavior and culture, as well as research on the interactions between human societies and the physical environment.
    • The Division of Social and Economic Sciences seeks to enhance our understanding of human, social and organizational behavior by building social science infrastructure, by developing social disciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects that advance knowledge in the social and economic sciences.
    • The Sociology Program supports basic research on all forms of human social organization -- societies, institutions, groups and demography -- and processes of individual and institutional change. The Program encourages theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social processes. Included is research on organizations and organizational behavior, population dynamics, social movements, social groups, labor force participation, stratification and mobility, family, social networks, socialization, gender roles, and the sociology of science and technology.
  • The Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center (RDVIC), serving Monongalia, Preston, and Taylor counties in West Virginia, provides a community-based service that promotes the rights of all individuals to have control of their lives without violence.
  • The United States Census Bureau's mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.
  • The United States Department of Justice's (DOJ) mission is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.  The DOJ provides the public with a variety of resources - from publications, reports, and frequently requested forms to case highlights, legal briefs, opinions and judicial orders.
    • The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF) mission is to conduct criminal investigations, regulate the firearms and explosives industries, and assist other law enforcement agencies. This work is undertaken to prevent terrorism, reduce violent crime, and protect the public in a manner that is faithful to the Constitution and the laws of the United States.

    • The Defending Childhood initiative addresses a national crisis: the exposure of America’s children to violence as victims and as witnesses.
    • The Elder Justice Initiative coordinates and supports the DOJ's law enforcement and policy activities on elder justice issues and plays an integral role in the Department's investigative and enforcement efforts against nursing homes and other long-term care entities that deliver grossly substandard care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries by providing attorney and investigator training, helping to identify and fund subject matter experts and investigative consultants, and facilitating regular calls with U.S. Attorneys' Offices and other law enforcement partners to discuss emerging legal trends and developments.
    • The mission of the Environment and Natural Resources Division is, through litigation in the federal and state courts, to safeguard and enhance the American environment; acquire and manage public lands and natural resources; and protect and manage Indian rights and property.
    • The National Institute of Corrections, an agency within the U.S. DOJ, Federal Bureau of Prisons, is a center of learning, innovation and leadership that shapes and advances effective correctional practice and public policy.
    • The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families.
    • The Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking's (SMART) mission is to protect the public by supporting the national implementation of a comprehensive sex offender registration and notification system.
    • The Office of Tribal Justice is the primary point of contact for the DOJ with federally recognized Native American tribes, and advises the Department on legal and policy matters pertaining to Native Americans.
    • The mission of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is to provide federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
    • Project Safe Childhood is a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation that combines law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness.
  • VAWnet is a comprehensive and easily accessible online collection of full-text, searchable materials and resources on domestic violence, sexual violence and related issues.
  • WellWVU, The Student's Center of Health at West Virginia University, unites Student HealthCarruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and Wellness and Health Promotion to meet WVU student's health and wellness needs.
    • Alcohol and Drug Education
    • The Greendot Program: In accordance with promising practices in violence prevention as outlined in the Campus SaVE Act, WELLWVUOffice of Wellness & Health Promotion has adopted the Green Dot model as our violence prevention strategy. Green Dot, etc. is a non-profit organization built on the premise that we can measurably and systematically reduce violence within any given community.
    • Sexual Assault Resources
  • The West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence is a statewide network of community-based domestic violence programs and statewide office working to end personal and institutional violence in the lives of women, children and men. WVCADV works to transform social, cultural, and political attitudes in ways that promote values of respect, mutuality, accountability and non-violence.
  • The mission of the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety (DMAPS) is to provide a safe and secure state by ensuring the proper response to all levels, manners and phases of emergencies, disasters and crimes. 
  • The West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center's (WVU ICRC) mission is to advance the science and practice of injury prevention and control through research, education, outreach and service. WVU ICRC maintains a specific focus on populations residing in West Virginia, and throughout the surrounding Appalachian region. West Virginia is the only state that lies entirely within Appalachia.
  • West Virginia University Police's Crime Prevention Section develops and delivers educational programs that educate all members of the University to help them to understand and know what they can and should do to prevent themselves from becoming victims.
  • The Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence: A National Resource Center project offers information on the Internet for the benefit of those interested in providing effective workplace responses to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, dating violence and stalking.