Part C—Office of Science and Technology
Editorial Notes
Codification
Subtitle D of title II of
Prior Provisions
A prior subtitle C of title II of
§161. Establishment of Office; Director
(a) Establishment
(1) In general
There is hereby established within the Department of Justice an Office of Science and Technology (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the "Office").
(2) Authority
The Office shall be under the general authority of the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, and shall be established within the National Institute of Justice.
(b) Director
The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall be an individual appointed based on approval by the Office of Personnel Management of the executive qualifications of the individual.
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Editorial Notes
References in Text
This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was in the original "this title", meaning title II of
§162. Mission of Office; duties
(a) Mission
The mission of the Office shall be—
(1) to serve as the national focal point for work on law enforcement technology; and
(2) to carry out programs that, through the provision of equipment, training, and technical assistance, improve the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement technology and improve access to such technology by Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
(b) Duties
In carrying out its mission, the Office shall have the following duties:
(1) To provide recommendations and advice to the Attorney General.
(2) To establish and maintain advisory groups (which shall be exempt from the provisions of
(3) To establish and maintain performance standards in accordance with the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (
(4) To establish and maintain a program to certify, validate, and mark or otherwise recognize law enforcement technology products that conform to standards established and maintained by the Office in accordance with the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (
(5) To work with other entities within the Department of Justice, other Federal agencies, and the executive office of the President to establish a coordinated Federal approach on issues related to law enforcement technology.
(6) To carry out research, development, testing, evaluation, and cost-benefit analyses in fields that would improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of law enforcement technologies used by Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies, including, but not limited to—
(A) weapons capable of preventing use by unauthorized persons, including personalized guns;
(B) protective apparel;
(C) bullet-resistant and explosion-resistant glass;
(D) monitoring systems and alarm systems capable of providing precise location information;
(E) wire and wireless interoperable communication technologies;
(F) tools and techniques that facilitate investigative and forensic work, including computer forensics;
(G) equipment for particular use in counterterrorism, including devices and technologies to disable terrorist devices;
(H) guides to assist State and local law enforcement agencies;
(I) DNA identification technologies; and
(J) tools and techniques that facilitate investigations of computer crime.
(7) To administer a program of research, development, testing, and demonstration to improve the interoperability of voice and data public safety communications.
(8) To serve on the Technical Support Working Group of the Department of Defense, and on other relevant interagency panels, as requested.
(9) To develop, and disseminate to State and local law enforcement agencies, technical assistance and training materials for law enforcement personnel, including prosecutors.
(10) To operate the regional National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers and, to the extent necessary, establish additional centers through a competitive process.
(11) To administer a program of acquisition, research, development, and dissemination of advanced investigative analysis and forensic tools to assist State and local law enforcement agencies in combating cybercrime.
(12) To support research fellowships in support of its mission.
(13) To serve as a clearinghouse for information on law enforcement technologies.
(14) To represent the United States and State and local law enforcement agencies, as requested, in international activities concerning law enforcement technology.
(15) To enter into contracts and cooperative agreements and provide grants, which may require in-kind or cash matches from the recipient, as necessary to carry out its mission.
(16) To carry out other duties assigned by the Attorney General to accomplish the mission of the Office.
(c) Competition required
Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, all research and development carried out by or through the Office shall be carried out on a competitive basis.
(d) Information from Federal agencies
Federal agencies shall, upon request from the Office and in accordance with Federal law, provide the Office with any data, reports, or other information requested, unless compliance with such request is otherwise prohibited by law.
(e) Publications
Decisions concerning publications issued by the Office shall rest solely with the Director of the Office.
(f) Transfer of funds
The Office may transfer funds to other Federal agencies or provide funding to non-Federal entities through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to carry out its duties under this section: Provided, That any such transfer or provision of funding shall be carried out in accordance with section 605 of
(g) Annual report
The Director of the Office shall include with the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the Department of Justice budget for each fiscal year (as submitted with the budget of the President under
(1) For the period of 5 fiscal years beginning with the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted—
(A) the Director's assessment of the needs of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies for assistance with respect to law enforcement technology and other matters consistent with the mission of the Office; and
(B) a strategic plan for meeting such needs of such law enforcement agencies.
(2) For the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which such budget is submitted, a description of the activities carried out by the Office and an evaluation of the extent to which those activities successfully meet the needs assessed under paragraph (1)(A) in previous reports.
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Editorial Notes
References in Text
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), (4), is
Section 605 of
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (b)(2).
2003—Subsec. (f).
§163. Definition of law enforcement technology
For the purposes of this subchapter, the term "law enforcement technology" includes investigative and forensic technologies, corrections technologies, and technologies that support the judicial process.
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Editorial Notes
References in Text
This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original "this title", meaning title II of
§164. Abolishment of Office of Science and Technology of National Institute of Justice; transfer of functions
(a) Authority to transfer functions
The Attorney General may transfer to the Office any other program or activity of the Department of Justice that the Attorney General, in consultation with the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, determines to be consistent with the mission of the Office.
(b) Transfer of personnel and assets
With respect to any function, power, or duty, or any program or activity, that is established in the Office, those employees and assets of the element of the Department of Justice from which the transfer is made that the Attorney General determines are needed to perform that function, power, or duty, or for that program or activity, as the case may be, shall be transferred to the Office: Provided, That any such transfer shall be carried out in accordance with section 605 of
(c) Report on implementation
Not later than 1 year after November 25, 2002, the Attorney General shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of this subchapter. The report shall—
(1) provide an accounting of the amounts and sources of funding available to the Office to carry out its mission under existing authorizations and appropriations, and set forth the future funding needs of the Office; and
(2) include such other information and recommendations as the Attorney General considers appropriate.
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Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 605 of
This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original "this title", meaning title II of
Amendments
2003—Subsec. (b).
§165. National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers
(a) In general
The Director of the Office shall operate and support National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers (hereinafter in this section referred to as "Centers") and, to the extent necessary, establish new centers through a merit-based, competitive process.
(b) Purpose of Centers
The purpose of the Centers shall be to—
(1) support research and development of law enforcement technology;
(2) support the transfer and implementation of technology;
(3) assist in the development and dissemination of guidelines and technological standards; and
(4) provide technology assistance, information, and support for law enforcement, corrections, and criminal justice purposes.
(c) Annual meeting
Each year, the Director shall convene a meeting of the Centers in order to foster collaboration and communication between Center participants.
(d) Report
Not later than 12 months after November 25, 2002, the Director shall transmit to the Congress a report assessing the effectiveness of the existing system of Centers and identify the number of Centers necessary to meet the technology needs of Federal, State, and local law enforcement in the United States.
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