Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2016, $2,157,495)
The goal of the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) is to improve the Nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information and by insuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems. BJS provides direct financial and technical assistance to the states to improve criminal history and other related records and to build their infrastructure to connect to national record check systems both to supply information and to conduct the requisite checks.
The Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) will use NCHIP funding for three projects to be assigned to agencies that have the sole development and implementing responsibility for that particular project. The OPM will provide technical and grant support and continue its role of coordinating the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) interrelationships on behalf of these projects. Under the 2016 NCHIP priority areas, the following projects will be conducted:
1) Protection Orders and Firearms Conditions: Through a subward with the State of CT Judicial Branch (JB), the JB will collaborate with several organizations to improve the protection order process and modernize or expand some external systems that hold Protection Order Registry (POR) records. The improvement steps include; 1) develop court procedures for collecting and disseminating firearms allegations and surrender order; 2) assist with ongoing POR interface development; and 3) improve the accuracy and completeness or protection order records. The POR was expanded previously through NCHIP awards in 2014 and 2015.
2) Arrest Processing and Disposition Reporting: The JB has undertaken and completed a portion of the work need to modernize the Criminal Motor Vehicle System (CRMVS), the primary system used by the State for the accurate and timely reporting of disqualifying records to NICS. The JB is now implementing the 3rd and 4th phases of the project with assistance under NCHIP 2014 and 2015 funding, including implementation of the criminal disposition module, a new computer system for clerks to process dispositions in the local courts. For NCHIP 2016 funds, the JB will add another module to the new computer system that will enable clerks to process and reconcile arrest information. In addition, the JB plans to continue making disposition records available for state and federal firearms background investigations while the arrest processing module is being developed.
3) Computerized Criminal History (CCH) and Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Replacement: The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) will use NCHIP funds to support its CCH and AFIS replacement projects with resources dedicated to the testing, interface development, staff training, project management, and independent verification and validation of project deliverables. The resources are necessary to ensure the success of its comprehensive strategy to modernize the State Police Bureau of Identification (SPBI) criminal history repository. The Criminal Records Unit and Fingerprint Identification Unit within the SPBI are responsible for the collection, maintenance and dissemination of fingerprint supported criminal history throughout the state and in participation with NCIC.
As part of 2016 NCHIP activities the replacement of CCH along with the conversion of the criminal history information, a number of database deficiencies have been identified that contribute to deficient and incorrect criminal history information. DESPP will seek technical resources to address database administration deficiencies and project management resources to address various implementation related planning and coordination tasks. (CA/NCF)