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The Center for Applied Science and Technology for Law Enforcement (CASTLE) is supported by the National Institute of Justice Office of Science and Technology and is establishing partnerships with the National Law Enforcement Corrections and Technology Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Additionally, CASTLE is working with the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) to direct effective interface with and support of state and local crime laboratories. Extremely sophisticated, often one-of-a-kind, equipment and very-capable scientific expertise are resident at U.S. federal government laboratories and, until recently, have not been applied often to law enforcement problems, particularly at the state and local level. While there have been a number of research and development programs at national laboratories sponsored by agencies such as the National Institute of Justice, most of these have been focused on long-term objectives to meet broad national needs. In discussions with local law enforcement personnel, it is apparent that there are much more immediate technology needs, which are not being addressed by nationwide programs, in fundamental areas including video and audio surveillance, trace and physical evidence sampling, and forensic laboratory analysis. In a pilot program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a significant component of the nation's science and technology resources located in Tennessee, recently made a commitment to support law enforcement where possible with advanced technology. ORNL formed the Center for Applied Science and Technology for Law Enforcement (CASTLE), a partnership of scientific, university, private sector, and law enforcement personnel. The goal of the CASTLE program is to apply technology at the grassroots working level to both solve crimes, to improve safety to law enforcement personnel, and to improve the overall quality of law enforcement services within the United States.
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