Numbers now... : criminal justice in Oklahoma, 02/2012, v.2 no.1

              Numbers Now……
Criminal Justice in Oklahoma
February 2011 (Vol. 2, No. 1)
Published By
Oklahoma State Bureau of
Investigation
Stan Florence
Director
Charles Curtis
Deputy Director
Dave Page
Division Director
Information Services
Linda DeArman
Section Supervisor
Data Collection and Reporting
Angie Baker
SAC Director
Vacant
Statistical Research Specialist
Jennifer Powell
Liaison
OK Violent Death Reporting
System
In this issue:
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness &
Prevention Month
OCJS Adds Program and Welcomes New Staff to Unit
The Oklahoma Violent Death Reporting System (OK-VDRS), a federally-funded
surveillance project, collects data on all unnatural deaths in the state.
Oklahoma is one of 18 states currently participating in the program, which is
funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The
Oklahoma State Department of Health collaborates with the Office of Chief
Medical Examiner, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the
Oklahoma Child Death Review Board; OSBI contributes law enforcement data
to the project. The mission of the project is congruent with the overall mission
and goals of OCJS.
Jennifer Powell joined the unit in November. She serves as the Liaison for the
OK-VDRS project. She is responsible for collecting law enforcement data for all
unnatural deaths that occur in the state. Jennifer graduated from the University
of Central Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She
previously worked at the Department of Human Services.
OSBI Creates New Forensic Science Research Group
Forensic science is an ever-changing field, with new analytical techniques being
introduced every year. Before any of these new techniques can be applied to
forensic casework, each must be scientifically validated in order to demonstrate
that they are, in fact, appropriate for the analysis of evidence. For this reason, the
OSBI lab has established a research committee, which has two primary purposes.
One is to contribute to the forensic science community through the development of
novel analytical techniques and the subsequent publishing of their work in the
scientific literature. Secondly, the committee coordinates efforts with local
universities to provide research opportunities for students of forensic science and
related fields. Through this partnership, the students gain practical research
experience, and the Bureau benefits through the enhancement of their analytical
capabilities.
Robert Weston