Style Guidelines
February 2024
Welcome
The items in this style guide were created for the Bureau of Justice Assistance National Training and Technical Center (BJA NTTAC) and should be used when creating items and messages for and/or on behalf of BJA NTTAC.
This document is a guide to be followed by anyone who is writing, designing, or producing BJA NTTAC branded communications. This document contains a summary of BJA NTTAC’s brand, including the basic elements of BJA NTTAC’s identity and creative style.
The overall goal of this style guide is to help convey the BJA NTTAC message in a clear, simple, consistent, and professional way. Apply the following best practices when creating BJA NTTAC communications.
Any items and messages created for and/or on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance should use the Bureau of Justice Assistance branding: BJA Brand Guidelines, BJA Style Guide.
If a publication or any other content is funded by BJA, it must include the following disclaimer, which can be translated into other languages.
“This project was supported by Contract No. xxxxxx awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.”
About NTTAC
Established in 2008, BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) connects local, state and tribal justice agencies with specialized national experts to address identified needs and challenges. Agencies assisted by BJA NTTAC include prosecution offices, police departments, corrections agencies, city and county governments and tribal entities. Our goal is to provide requesting agencies with specific, specialized resources to support their efforts to build effective community collaboration and to improve safety for all.
To achieve this goal, BJA NTTAC provides no-cost training and specialized guidance - also known as technical assistance - both in-person and virtually on a wide variety of criminal justice topics ranging from crime reduction and workforce protection to mental health and victimization prevention. We take the time to understand the specific justice-related need of the agency requesting help and match that need with the right expert to provide the training or specialized guidance.
Mission
The mission of BJA NTTAC is to build safer and stronger communities through proactive, responsive, and innovative training and technical assistance.
Tone & Voice
As criminal and legal systems become more collaborative and community focused, BJA NTTAC strives to help organizational leaders develop environments that foster trust amongst community members and the criminal and legal system. To do so, BJA NTTAC relies upon evidence-based best practices to create sustainable change with the use of language and solutions that promote safety, choice, and empowerment of all involved.
Brand Identity
This branding reintroduces BJA NTTAC as an approachable and inviting resource within the criminal justice field.
This branding promotes the overarching themes of elevating practices, promising practices, learning and education, growth, change, collaboration, and connection in the criminal justice field.
Logo
The government entity mark “BJA” (Bureau of Justice Assisstance) classifies NTTAC as an entity of BJA.
The wordmark consists of the acronymns “nttac” (National Training and Technical Assistance Center). Spelling the NTTAC acroynm in lowercase letters provides a modern look and reinforces the friendly and approchable tone.
The organization name “National Training and Technical Assistance Center” is written in Title caps to enforce the full name of the organization.
The blossom depicts overlapping leaves creating a sunburst shape. The blossom represents people collaborating and connecting. The leaf shapes represent growth and collaboration through their treatment of overlapping.
The BJA NTTAC horizontal stacked logo is the primary logo and should be used in most instances.
The BJA NTTAC vertical stacked logo is intended for large-scale use such as merchandise, trade show backdrops, and large print marketing material. It also can be used in special cases where the horizontal logo does not fit.
Blossom
BJA NTTAC Horizontal Stacked Logo
Wordmark
BJA NTTAC Vertical Stacked Logo
Logo Variations
In special cases where the logo is intended for small-scale use, the organization name included in the stacked logo can become illegible.
These logo variations are approved for small-scale use:
• The BJA NTTAC horizontal logo excludes the organization name. This logo is intended for small-scale use where the horizontal stacked logo becomes illegible.
• The BJA NTTAC Vertical logo excludes the organization name. This logo is intended for small-scale use where the vertical stacked logo becomes illegible.
BJA NTTAC Vertical Logo
BJA NTTAC Horizontal Logo
Exclusion Zone
Exclusion zone guidelines are provided to help maintain the integrity and presence of the logo when it is placed in proximity to competing visual elements.
To ensure the BJA NTTAC logo receives the appropriate level of prominence in any communication, always surround it with the designated free space indicated to the right.
The exclusion zone, marked with a blue line, is measured by using the height of “n” in the wordmark.
Minimum Sizes
Print minimum size is 0.6 inches in height for the horizontal logo and 1.2 inches in height for the vertical logo.
Digital minimum size is 58 pixels in height for the horizontal logo and 116 pixels in height for the vertical logo. For the best legibility, display the logo at a larger size whenever possible.
BJA NTTAC Vertical Stacked Logo
BJA NTTAC Horizontal Stacked Logo
Color Options
The Full color logo is the main logo color and preferred on all material creation. The full color logo is the default logo for placement on white backgrounds. Do not use the full-color logo against any other color backgrounds.
The White logo is preferred on solid colored dark backgrounds. When placing the logo on an image ensure that the image is dark enough for the logo to remain legible.
The Black logo is preferred on solid colored light backgrounds that are not white. When placing the logo on an image ensure that the image is light enough for the logo to remaiin legible.
When using the black or white logos against a photo, please choose the color that stands out best.
Full Color preferred on all materials default for white backgrounds
White preferred on solid colored dark backgrounds
Black preferred on solid colored light backgrounds
Things to Avoid
There are no additional versions of the logo, or a version with the blossom on its own. Each logo is a carefully created piece of locked artwork that should not be altered in any way.
This is not a comprehensive list of errors. These are simply the most common or egregious errors.
Do not rearrange any element of the logo. Do not remove the blossoom from the logo.
National Training and Technical Assistance Center
Do not alter, recreate, or use another typeface for the wordmark.
Do not add a dropshadow or other special effects to the logo.
Do not stretch or distort the logo.
Do not use the blossom alone.
Color Palette
Primary Colors
These primary colors should be used as a first option on all materials:
• NTTAC Blue is friendly, refreshing and energizing.
• White is clean, modern and honest.
• Deep Blue is strong, reliable, trustworthy and authoritative.
Secondary Colors
These secondary colors can be used as accent colors to compliment the primary colors.
• Warm Grey
• Bright Orange is movement, change, creativity, friendly, and inviting.
• Deep Green is informative, growth, renewal, and balanced.
Toned Colors
To create additional contrast for 508 color compliance, these colors can be used as needed: Warm Grey, NTTAC Blue Lite, BJA Blue Lite, Orange Lite. and Green Lite.
Primary Colors
NTTAC Blue
RGB: 34/95/172
HEX: 225fac
CMYK: 91/67/0/0
White
RGB: 255/255/255
HEX: ffffff
CMYK: 0/0/0/0
Secondary Colors
Warm Grey
RGB: 77/77/79
HEX: 4d4d4f
CMYK: 0/0/0/85
Bright Orange
RGB: 246/134/32
HEX: f68620
CMYK: 0/58/99/0
Toned Colors
Deep Blue
RGB: 30/58/100
HEX: 1e3a64
CMYK: 98/83/34/23
NTTAC Blue Lite
RGB: 125/197/237
HEX: 7dc5ed
CMYK: 47/7/0/0
Deep Green
RGB: 0/113/82
HEX: 007152
CMYK: 89/32/78/20
Blue Lite
RGB: 130/171/218
HEX: 82abda
CMYK: 48/24/0/0
Orange Lite
RGB: 253/202/142
HEX: fdca8e
CMYK: 0/23/48/0
Green Lite
RGB: 171/198/187
HEX: abc6bb
CMYK: 34/11/27/0
Color Palette
508 Color Compliance
Color contrast is the difference in light between font (or anything in the foreground) and its background. In web accessibility, how well the foreground color stands out from the background color determines whether most people will be able to read the information.
Color contrast ratio is the numerical value assigned to the difference in light between the foreground and the background. The contrast between text and a background color must be 4.5:1. that must be maintained between any text and the color of the page behind it (including white). Non-text items (graphical objects) must be at least 3:1. There are several websites and apps to find this ratio such as Snook.ca Colour Contrast Check or WebAIM Contrast Checker and input the Hex color numbers for the colors you are testing.
When using BJA NTTAC colors on materials, text and images must remain 508 compliant and meet color contrast requirements. Below are examples of color contrast compliance and non-compliant color usage. Please refer to these examples for compliant and non-compliant color usage.
508 compliant color examples
508 non-compliant color examples
Typography
Primary Font
Outfit is the primary font for BJA NTTAC materials. This font should be used for headlines and headers.
Body Copy
DM Sans is for body copy only
Systom Fonts:
Bahnschrift is the system font we use when Outfit is not available and Arial is the system font we use when DM Sans is not available. These system fonts are included in the Microsoft Office Suite and can be used in Word and PowerPoint.
Outfit Black
Outfit Semibold
Regular