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A federally funded grant through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance will support an interdisciplinary program created by The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) to aid rural law enforcement agencies across the country to solve crimes more efficiently by using the latest, cutting-edge technology available.
The Scalable Rural Digital Forensics Initiative (RDFI) is a four-year, $3 million project supporting law enforcement agencies nationwide and their staff, particularly rural line officers, to enhance their ability to successfully initiate and carry out investigations involving digital evidence. Law enforcement leadership from across the U.S. who were involved in the planning of the project are encouraged by its innovative approach to training in this high-tech area.
The work of the project will be conducted by an interdisciplinary team composed of faculty, students, and staff in the Southern Miss School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security; School of Media and Communication; and School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering, along with support from the Office of the Vice President for Research. Project activities include establishing a working digital forensics laboratory as a real-world training/education facility, integrating a high-quality digital content creation studio into the lab environment and developing and implementing a digital/social media delivery mechanism to reach law enforcement in rural communities.
“This initiative exemplifies our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge research and technology to address real-world challenges in public safety,” said Dr. Kelly Lucas, Vice President for Research at The University of Southern Mississippi. “We’re enhancing investigative capabilities and fostering safer communities nationwide by equipping rural law enforcement with advanced digital forensics training and resources.”
The project description further states that its expected outcomes include the development of a multi-disciplinary team addressing the digital forensics needs of rural communities, provision of digital forensic services to local law enforcement entities and creation of social media educational tools to assist with line officer training in digital forensic investigation basics.
Southern Miss faculty and staff working with the project include:
Dr. Henry Jones – Office of the Vice President for Research
Dr. Joshua Hill – School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security
Dr. Brent Hale – School of Media and Communication
Ms. Kristi Johnson – School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security
Mr. Ryan Dirr – School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering
Southern Miss secured the grant with the support of Mississippi’s congressional delegation, who supported its focus on helping law enforcement make communities and their citizens across the state safer as they deal with the unique challenges and opportunities of the digital age. School officials are hopeful that the project will also lead to additional opportunities for the development of expanded training materials and better digital forensics expertise for rural law enforcement nationwide.
“We are excited to help advance criminal investigations in rural communities by providing law enforcement with valuable training, educational materials and modern technologies that conform to current best practices for the analysis of digital evidence via USM’s Rural Digital Forensics Initiative,” said Kristi Johnson, instructor of forensic science in the School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security. “This initiative will also provide access to state-of-the-art hardware and software technology to agencies without financial impact to the law enforcement partner, ensuring that all agencies have access to these modern resources while providing law enforcement partners with a pathway to increase the use of digital forensic evidence and expedite information gathering, which will, ultimately, lead to safer communities throughout this region.”
About The University of Southern Mississippi
Since our founding in 1910, The University of Southern Mississippi has remained dedicated to preparing students for success. We deliver programs to more than 13,000 students in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. We are a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one of the nation’s leading research institutions. Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in polymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringing language to children with communication disorders. We are also a national leader in a broad range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, hydrography, nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology, and economic development, among others. We produce graduates ready to enter fields that are leading the way in emerging technologies through programs such as computer engineering, information technology, and ocean engineering. We’re developing the next generation of business leaders, while also responding to critical workforce shortages by producing skilled professionals in education and nursing. With a tradition of excellence in the arts, we are one of only 36 public institutions in the nation accredited in four major areas of the arts. Home to the Golden Eagles, our student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. With a culture marked by passion and persistence, Southern Miss is delivering graduates who are ready for life.