Research is a vital component of NCJFCJ’s efforts to improve the lives of children and families. Begun in 1973, and located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NCJFCJ’s research arm, the National Center for Juvenile Justice (www.ncjj.org), remains the country’s only non-profit research organization concentrating solely on the juvenile justice system and the prevention of juvenile delinquency and child abuse and neglect. The NCJJ's efforts describe the nature, extent, and trends in juvenile crime and victimization in the United States, as well as the response of the justice system to these matters. Through empirical research and program evaluations, it also works to improve the effectiveness and fairness of juvenile justice system processing and to improve the outcomes of its many prevention and intervention programs.

Other NCJFCJ research efforts include the work of the Permanency Planning for Children Department's (PPCD) Research Division, which provides research and evaluation technical assistance for juvenile and family courts across the nation, specifically focusing on best practices in child abuse and neglect cases, court improvement and program evaluation.