Department of Justice 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In an effort to obtain comments from interested parties, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) will make available to the general public the draft ``Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System Standard for Law Enforcement.'' The opportunity to provide comments on this voluntary standard is open to industry technical representatives, law enforcement agencies and organizations, research, development and scientific communities, and all other stakeholders and interested parties. Those individuals wishing to obtain and provide comments on the draft standard under consideration are directed to the following Web site: https://www.justnet.org.

In this document, the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) amends its Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Unit (SHU) regulations. We intend this amendment to streamline and clarify these regulations, eliminating unnecessary text and obsolete language, and removing internal agency procedures that need not be in regulations text. We also make substantive changes to our list of prohibited acts for which disciplinary sanctions may be imposed, and alter the list of possible sanctions available to allow Discipline Hearing Officers more flexibility in adapting the sanction to fit the seriousness of the violation.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is in the process of developing a new Interview Room Video System Standard and corresponding certification program requirements. This work is being performed by a Special Technical Committee (STC), comprised of practitioners from the field, researchers, testing experts, certification experts, and representatives from stakeholder organizations. It is anticipated that the STC members will participate in six 2-day meetings over a 12-month time period with the goal of completing development of the standard and certification program requirements. It is anticipated that STC meetings will begin in January 2011. Travel expenses and per diem will be reimbursed for all STC meetings; however, participation time will not be funded. NIJ is seeking representatives from (1) certification bodies and (2) test laboratories with experience in programs for similar types of electronic equipment. Additional preferred knowledge includes experience with video systems or experience with law enforcement operations. There are up to four positions to be filled on the STC, and NIJ will accept the first 20 submissions for review. Interested parties are requested to nominate individuals from their organizations and submit no more than two pages describing the nominee's applicable experience, preferred knowledge, and affiliations with standards development organizations. This information shall be submitted to Frances Scott at frances.scott@usdoj.gov by December 13, 2010. The submissions will be reviewed, and participants will be notified regarding their acceptance by January 17, 2011.