Technology Working Groups (TWGs)

A technology working group (TWG) is a practitioner-based committee of 25 to 30 experienced individuals from local, state, tribal and federal agencies and laboratories associated with a particular NIJ technology investment portfolio, such as biometrics. Each portfolio has a TWG, which identifies criminal justice technology needs within that portfolio. 

TWG members participate in the peer review panels that evaluate potential solutions to address practitioner needs. Agencies from which TWG members are drawn are routinely involved in testing and evaluating the resulting solutions. The TWGs, and through them the criminal justice practitioner community, are embedded in the NIJ research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) process from beginning to end.

Each area within NIJ’s RDT&E portfolio has a corresponding TWG, which is coordinated by a Regional Center or a National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) System Center of Excellence (CoE), as follows:

• Aviation (Small, Rural, Tribal and Border Regional Center).
• Biometrics (Information and Sensor Systems CoE).
• Body Armor (NLECTC-National).
• Communications Technologies (Communications Technologies CoE).
• Community Corrections (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE).
• Corrections (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE).
• Cyber Crime (Electronic Crime Technologies CoE).
• DNA Forensics (OLES and Forensic Science Technologies CoE).
• Explosives (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE).
• General Forensics (Forensic Science Technologies CoE).
• Geospatial Technologies (TBD).
• Information-Led Policing (TBD).
• Less-Lethal Technologies (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE).
• Modeling and Simulation (Small, Rural, Tribal and Border Regional Center).
• Officer Safety and Protective Technologies (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE).
• Pursuit Management (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE and NLECTC-National).
• School Safety (Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies CoE).
• Sensors and Surveillance (Information and Sensor Systems CoE).
• Weapons Detection (Information and Sensor Systems CoE).

In cooperation with the NLECTC System, TWGs develop operational requirements and technology evaluation criteria. They then determine whether a technology is available in the marketplace or from the scientific community. As priorities change within the field, technology portfolios and working groups also change as practitioners implement new solutions or as new technologies emerge.

TWGs and the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC) work together to ensure that NIJ's technology program meets high standards for safety and performance. They identify and define technology needs and operational requirements in the field. LECTAC and the TWGs relay information about NIJ's technology programs and products back to the criminal justice community. They also:

• Provide peer reviews of concept papers and proposals. 
• Review the ongoing status of research and development projects. 
• Evaluate the success of programs and projects. 
• Work with agencies to demonstrate and test newly developed technologies.