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Justice Records Improvement
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Program Objective | Criminal Records | Interstate Systems | Glossary | Related sites
Program Objective
BJS administers national programs to assist States and localities to
upgrade the completeness, accuracy, and accessibility of criminal
records. Criminal records are critical to implementing law enforcement
strategies, conducting background checks, and supporting statistical analysis of crime trends.
For more information about achievements of this program,
see NCHIP Program Impact & Accomplishments
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Criminal Records
Criminal records describe offenses and offenders and include offender
fingerprint identification and notations of arrest and subsequent dispositions.
Criminal records include records of protection orders, sex offender registries,
and other records of contacts with the justice system. Criminal record
systems are dependent on up-to-date automated fingerprint identification
systems to ensure that records are accurately identified to the proper
individual and to ensure that such records can be linked across jurisdictions.
All States have established a criminal record repository which maintains
criminal records and identification data and responds to law enforcement
inquiries and inquiries for other purposes such as background checks and
national security. Criminal records include data provided by all components
of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, prosecution, courts and
corrections. Automated interfaces with courts and prosecutors are critical
to ensuring that all criminal records include dispositions at each stage
of the criminal process.
Records developed for statistical purposes describe and classify each
criminal incident and include data on offender characteristics, relationships
between the offender and the victim, and offense impact. Statistical data
are extracted from operational records using uniform criteria for classification
and collection. Detailed statistical data permit localities to identify
problem areas and to allocate manpower and limited financial resources
in an efficient and effective manner.
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Interstate Systems
The FBI administers national systems which permit interstate access to
criminal records maintained in all 50 States. These systems include:
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
- Interstate Identification Index (III)
- National Protection Order File
- National Sex Offender Registry
- Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)
(See Glossary below for more information about these systems.)
The FBI also administers the National Incident Based Reporting System
(NIBRS) which is an updated system for collection of statistical data
describing the extent and nature of crime in each jurisdiction. Funds
awarded under BJS’ Justice Records Improvement Program support these national
systems by ensuring that State records interfaced through the national
system are complete.
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Glossary of terms
- Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS):
- An automated system for searching fingerprint files and transmitting
fingerprint images. AFIS computer equipment can scan fingerprint impressions
(or utilize electronically transmitted fingerprint images) and automatically
extract and digitize ridge details and other identifying characteristics
in sufficient detail to enable the computer's searching and matching
components to distinguish a single fingerprint from thousands or even
millions of fingerprints previously scanned and stored in digital form
in the computer's memory. The process eliminates the manual searching
of fingerprint files and increases the speed and accuracy of ten-print
processing (arrest fingerprint cards and noncriminal justice applicant
fingerprint cards). AFIS equipment also can be used to identify individuals
from "latent" (crime scene) fingerprints, with even fragmentary prints
of single fingers in some cases. Digital fingerprint images generated
by AFIS equipment can be transmitted electronically to remote sites,
eliminating the necessity of mailing fingerprint cards and providing
remote access to AFIS fingerprint files.
- Central Repository:
- The database (or the agency housing the database) that maintains
criminal history records on all State offenders. Records include fingerprint
files and files containing identification segments and notations of
arrests and dispositions. The central repository is generally responsible
for State-level identification of arrestees, and commonly serves as
the central control terminal for contact with FBI record systems.
Inquiries from local agencies for a national record check (for criminal
justice or firearm check purposes) are routed to the FBI via the central
repository. Although usually housed in the Department of Public Safety,
the central repository may be maintained in some States by the State
Police or some other State agency.
- Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) or
Criminal History Record Information System:
- A record (or the system maintaining such records) that includes
individual identifiers and describes an individual's arrests and subsequent
dispositions. Criminal history records do not include intelligence
or investigative data or sociological data such as drug use history.
CHRI systems usually include information on juveniles if they are
tried as adults in criminal courts.
Most, however, do not include data describing involvement of an individual
in the juvenile justice system. All data in CHRI systems are usually
backed by fingerprints of the record subjects to provide positive
identification. State legislation varies concerning disclosure of
criminal history records for noncriminal justice purposes.
- Data Quality:
- The extent to which criminal history records are complete, accurate
and timely. In addition, accessibility sometimes is considered a data
quality factor. The key concern in data quality is the completeness
of records and the extent to which records include dispositions as
well as arrest and charge information. Other concerns include the
timeliness of data reporting to State and Federal repositories, the
timeliness of data entry by the repositories, the readability of criminal
history records and the ability to have access to the records when
necessary.
- Felony or Serious Misdemeanor:
- The category of offenses for which fingerprints and criminal history
information are accepted by the FBI and entered in the Bureau's files,
including the III system. Serious misdemeanor is defined to exclude
certain minor offenses, such as drunkenness or minor traffic offenses.
- Interstate Identification Index (III):
- An "index-pointer" system for the interstate exchange of criminal
history records. Under III, the FBI maintains an identification index
to persons arrested for felonies or serious misdemeanors under State
or Federal law. The index includes identification information, (such
as name, date of birth, race, and sex), FBI Numbers and State Identification
Numbers (SID) from each State holding information about an individual.
Search inquiries from criminal justice agencies nationwide are transmitted
automatically via State telecommunications networks and the FBI's National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) telecommunications lines. Searches are
made on the basis of name and other identifiers. The process is entirely
automated and takes approximately five seconds to complete. If a hit
is made against the Index, record requests are made using the SID or
FBI Number, and data are automatically retrieved from each repository
holding records on the individual and forwarded to the requesting agency.
Participation requires that the State maintain an automated criminal
history record system capable of interfacing with the III system and
capable of responding automatically to all interstate and Federal/State
record requests.
- Juvenile Justice Records:
- Official records of juvenile justice adjudications. Most adult criminal
history record systems do not accept such records, which are frequently
not supported by fingerprints and which usually are confidential under
State law. Pursuant to an order dated July 15, 1992, the FBI now accepts,
and will disseminate, juvenile records on the same basis as adult
records. States, however, are not required to submit such records
to the FBI
- Master Name Index (MNI):
- A subject identification index maintained by criminal history record
repositories that includes names and other identifiers for each person
about whom a record is held in the systems. As of 1999, only one State
did not have at least a partially automated MNI; almost all States
(45) had fully automated MNIs. The automated name index is the key
to rapidly identifying persons who have criminal records for such
purposes as presale firearm checks, criminal investigations or bailsetting.
MNIs may include "felony flags," which indicate whether record subjects
have arrests or convictions for felony offenses.
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC):
- An automated database of criminal justice and justice-related records
maintained by the FBI. The database includes the "hot files" of wanted
and missing persons, stolen vehicles and identifiable stolen property,
including firearms. Access to NCIC files is through central control
terminal operators in each State that are connected to NCIC via dedicated
telecommunications lines maintained by the FBI. Local agencies and
officers on the beat can access the State control terminal via the
State law enforcement network. Inquiries are based on name and other
nonfingerprint identification. Most criminal history inquiries of
the III system are made via the NCIC telecommunications system. NCIC
data may be provided only for criminal justice and other specifically
authorized purposes. For criminal history searches, this includes
criminal justice employment, employment by Federally chartered or
insured banking institutions or securities firms, and use by State
and local governments for purposes of employment and licensing pursuant
to a State statute approved by the U.S. Attorney General. Inquiries
regarding presale firearm checks are included as criminal justice
uses.
- National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact:
- An interstate and Federal/State compact which establishes formal procedures
and governance structures for the use of the Interstate Identification
Index (III). It is designed to facilitate the exchange of criminal history
data among States for noncriminal justice purposes and to eliminate
the need for the FBI to maintain duplicate data about State offenders.
Under the compact, the operation of this system is overseen by a policymaking
council comprised of Federal and State officials. The key concept underlying
the compact is agreement among all signatory States that all criminal
history information (except sealed records) will be provided in response
to noncriminal justice requests from another State - regardless of whether
the information being requested would be permitted to be disseminated
for a similar noncriminal justice purpose within the State holding the
data. The compact was passed by Congress and signed into law by the
President in October 1998. The compact became effective in April 1999,
following ratification by two State legislatures, Montana on April 8,
1999 and Georgia on April 28, 1999. To date, 14 additional States have
entered into the compact: Nevada (May 1999); Florida (June 1999); Colorado
(March 2000); Iowa (April 2000); Connecticut (June 2000); South Carolina
(June 2000); Arkansas (February 2001); Kansas (April 2001); Alaska (May
2001); Oklahoma (May 2001); Maine (June 2001); New Jersey (January 2002);
Minnesota (March 2002); and Arizona (April 2002)
- National Fingerprint File (NFF):
- A system and procedures designed as a component of the III system,
which, when fully implemented, would establish a totally decentralized
system for the interstate exchange of criminal history records. The
NFF will contain fingerprints of Federal offenders and a single set
of fingerprints on State offenders from each State in which an offender
has been arrested for a felony or a serious misdemeanor. Under the
NFF concept, States will forward only the first-arrest fingerprints
of an individual to the FBI accompanied by other identification data
such as name and date of birth.
Fingerprints for subsequent arrests would not be forwarded. Disposition
data on the individual would also be retained at the State repository
and would not be forwarded to the FBI. Upon receipt of the first-arrest
fingerprint cards (or electronic images), the FBI will enter the individual's
fingerprint impressions in the NFF and will enter the person's name
and identifiers in the III, together with an FBI Number and a State
Identification (SID) Number for each State maintaining a record on the
individual. Charge and disposition information on State offenders will
be maintained only at the State level, and State repositories will be
required to respond to all authorized record requests concerning these
individuals for both criminal justice and noncriminal justice purposes.
States would have to release all data on record subjects for noncriminal
justice inquiries regardless of whether the data could be released for
similar purposes within the State. The NFF has been implemented in five
States: Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, and Montana.
- Positive Identification:
- Identification of an individual using biometric characteristics
that are unique and not subject to alteration. In present usage, the
term refers to identification by fingerprints but may also include
identification by retinal images, voiceprints or other techniques.
Positive identification is to be distinguished from identification
using name, sex, date of birth, or other personal identifiers as shown
on a document subject to alteration or counterfeit such as a birth
certificate, Social Security card or driver's license. Because individuals
can have identical or similar names, ages, etc., identifications based
on such characteristics are not reliable.
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