Whether it was their first time or their 15th, attendees of last week's 15th annual National Institute of Justice conference were thrilled. Surrounded by practitioners, researchers and a bevy of workshops to choose from, criminal justice enthusiasts came together for round table discussions on everything from methamphetamine abuse to the newest research available on crime-related topics.

From FBI agents to District of Justice statisticians, the NIJ conference boasted a chance for a new kind of networking that overlapped criminal justice fields. One of the conference highlights, a keynote speech given by Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, has started quite a buzz among many professionals as an eloquent cry for better communication between researchers and criminal justice practitioners.

If you didn't make it to NIJ this year, Corrections.com has the inside scoop on professional responses to one of the most comprehensive conferences criminal justice has to offer.

Corrections.com caught up with Department of Justice Program Manager, Bill Ballweber, American Correctional Association's Juvenile Associate Bridget Bayliss, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Unit Chief Samuel Berhanu.

Corrections.com: Is this your first year attending NIJ, or are you a seasoned NIJ vet?

Berhanu: This was my first conference and I learned a lot about a variety of subjects. I also learned a lot about crimes and spousal abuse and terrorism. It was very comprehensive.

Ballweber: I've been to almost all of the NIJ conferences in the last ten years. It was a great conference with great sessions. There were outstanding speakers.

Bayliss: Actually, this was my first year at the conference and I really enjoyed it. I found the workshops very informational.

CC: What was your favorite part about the NIJ conference this year?

Berhanu: The keynote speaker Chief of LAPD was a great man who gave a great speech and he very much alluded to how to use research in conjunction with law enforcement and how to narrow the gap between law enforcement and research. By working together, we can accomplish so much. It was a great speech. Everyone there was a seasoned researcher. They presented information on a wide variety of topics.

Ballweber: The Chief of Police from LA, who used to work in New York and Boston as the Chief of Police, was highly articulate and eloquent. He captured all of the importance of research and results and getting them to law enforcement officials.

Bayliss: I actually really enjoyed the first morning panel discussion about Criminal Justice; the past, present and future. I also noticed that a lot of practitioners have been asked to come, and they want them to come and say where the research should be focused.

CC: What did you learn at the conference this year that stood out to you?

Berhanu: It gave me a better idea of current crime issues and related topics. The whole law enforcement and research community comes together at this conference. To have an idea where we are [in the criminal justice field], is a great thing to help me during my work with the FBI.

Ballweber: I attended a session on methamphetamine and different aspects of methamphetamine abuse. Because there are three or four speakers within an hour period of time, and they are speaking on the highlights of their research, you get a chance to get some differing opinions. It's like snapshots of different angles on a particular topic. It's really helpful.

Bayliss: Everything was interesting. I learned some more about the drug culture amongst juveniles and some of the different types of venue they go to; if they are more likely to go to a rave versus a hip hop show, what drug you are more likely to use and then how police departments can deal with those venues.

CC: Would you recommend this conference to other criminal justice professionals and why?

Berhanu: Anybody should go to the NIJ conference and enjoy it. It's just advancing knowledge and advancing issues. These issues concern our entire society and our community leaders, police officers, members of civic organizations. It's really a great thing and I'd recommended this to anyone.

Ballweber: I feel like a lot of people may not quite understand how the NIJ conference works. It's an extremely effective way of relaying a lot of different information quickly and then the individual can go back and look in more detail at the reports. The networking is an important part in the overall perspective of criminal justice. I've always found that unique at NIJ. There are all facets of practitioners.

This helps me because I'm responsible for information dissemination. It helps me identify better with audiences and the things that are important to those audiences. It helps me to understand what formats of information are more effective as well as the different ways that audiences look at that information.

Bayliss: I agree with many of the speakers that I heard talking about getting more people involved with NIJ. It's kind of like opening up a discourse. Instead of having researchers tell you what's wrong, we should have practitioners come in and tell us the areas they need studied.

This is a great place to network. It's very good to interact with people you normally wouldn't interact with in criminal justice. They might have information that you need or have had the same problem you've had. We can exchange ideas about what's been going on in the field. I have already recommended it to a number of my friends.