AST Digital Magazine February 2017 AST Digital Magaiinse Volume 10 | Page 40

Volume 10
Feb 2017 Edition tually every criminal justice agency nationwide . Courtesy of ncicbackground and YouTube )
In 1980 , Canadian warrants were added to the database . In 1999 , a major technological upgrade — known as NCIC 2000 — added new capabilities , including the ability to store digital images and expanded data fields , and also led to nearinstant results for queries .
During the last 15 years or so , additional file categories have been added , including identity theft , gangs , known or suspected terrorists , and violent persons . expand the capabilities of the existing NCIC system .
CJIS has already conducted the largest user canvass in its history , reaching out to criminal justice users in all 50 states and U . S . territories to help identity additional needs , which is vital input that will be used in the development of the next generation National Crime Information Center .
Here ’ s to the next 50 years of this vital crimefighting tool !
Currently , the database is organized into a total of 21 files and contains 12 million active records entered by local , state , and federal law enforcement agencies — and it handles an average of 14 million transactions a day .
NCIC serves more than 90,000 criminal justice and law enforcement agencies , along with judges , prosecutors , corrections officers , court administrators , and a variety of other criminal justice officials by providing information that can help apprehend fugitives , locate missing persons , identify convicted sexual offenders , uncover weapons used in crimes , locate and return stolen property , and more .
So what does the future hold for NCIC ? The CJIS Division is preparing for its next major upgrade , known as NCIC 3rd Generation , or the N3G Project , and is working with its stakeholders to identity new functionalities to modernize and
The Origins of NCIC The FBI first got into the business of collecting , collating , and disseminating criminal identification records and histories in 1924 .
Over time , Bureau personnel maintained information about crimes with pen and paper , index cards , and typewriters — and they did so effectively — but as the volume of work increased , it was clear that something needed to change .
In 1965 , an executive in the then-FBI Identification Division ( since renamed the Criminal Justice Information Services Division ) proposed that the Bureau lease data-processing equipment to “ constructively assist the enforcement efforts of all participating law enforcement agencies ” that contributed criminal histories , wanted notices , reports of criminal activity , etc ., to the FBI .
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